Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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CLOVIS - The summer of 2020 has been a hot one, with most days reaching the 90s and plenty more days in the 100s than the 70s. But so far, it hasn't been too much of a strain on the city's water supply. While the city of Portales did have to enact temporary water restrictions, Clovis hasn't had to enact anything beyond its annual voluntary conservation period that runs through Oct. 1, and its water policy advisory committee will meet Tuesday for the first time in three months...
PORTALES - The Roosevelt County Republican Party has selected Mandi Park as its nominee for county clerk in the November general election. The party was tasked to find a successor following the sudden death of Stephanie Hicks McMath, who was found deceased at her home Aug. 23. Park, who has been with the clerk's office since January 2018, told The News she filed her declaration of candidacy Monday morning. Hicks McMath, 52, had served as county clerk since appointment in late...
CLOVIS - Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and state restrictions on mass gatherings, the Curry County Events Center has essentially been closed since mid-March. The Curry County Commission made the closure official on Tuesday, declaring the events center and the fairgrounds closed through February in their virtually held regular meeting. County Manager Lance Pyle said he had good discussions with Spectra, which has managed the facilities for more than 11 years, and came up with...
CLOVIS — The innovations churches have taken as in-person services have been restricted during the COVID-19 pandemic run the gamut — from low-tech wristbands to high-tech options like webcasts and online seat booking. But there’s no replacement for the ability to just be in church, and local pastors said Saturday is a meaningful change with a new public health order that allows houses of worship to have 40% occupancy. Churches have been operating at 25% capacity. “It’s massive,” said Jason Swann, executive pastor at Faith Ch...
PORTALES — A civil lawsuit brought by a Logan teacher and coach who was dismissed three years ago will see another delay before reaching a jury. Following a 78-minute virtual hearing Thursday morning in Portales’ district court, Judge Donna Mowrer granted attorney Warren Frost the opportunity to submit an amended complaint against Logan Superintendent Dennis Roch to include teacher Dallas Valentine for a charge of intentional infliction of emotional distress. The jury trial was set to begin Sept. 28, but will be pushed to...
CLOVIS — With the school year just starting in online-only mode, Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education members dealt with news of budget cuts and a big drop in early attendance. Deputy Superintendent of Finance Shawna Russell gave the board an update during Tuesday’s virtual meeting about unit value decreases from the state that equated to $2.6 million. With budget troubles due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Russell said she anticipates additional reductions in the unit value in January. When asked about attendance num...
The marquee sign has an inviting message in black block letters: "COME ON IN & SIT A WHILE." A few weeks ago, that would have sounded more like a dare. But on Saturday morning, it was a welcome sight at the Portales Daylight Donuts. The business was one of many opening up in-person dining for the first time since mid-July following a new public health order from the state. Restaurants have largely been limited to carry-out and delivery options since the COVID-19 pandemic...
PORTALES - Roosevelt County lost more than a county clerk on Sunday. With Stephanie Hicks, county officials said, they lost a friend. Stephanie Hicks McMath, who had been in the office since November 2018, was found dead at her home Sunday night, about two weeks after her 52nd birthday. County Manager Amber Hamilton told The News that Hicks McMath was one of the best county clerks in the state, if not the best. "She was so focused on her job, and always so willing to learn,"...
CLOVIS - To tell the story of longtime Clovis educator G.C. Ross, an average person could exhaust themselves and still admit they didn't come close to including everything that was noteworthy. Ross, who died Friday at his home at 82 following a 15-month battle with pancreatic cancer, lived a life full of service and accomplishment with a lifestyle so active doctors treating his cancer swore he had to be younger. Ross was born on Valentine's Day of 1938 in Graham, Texas, and...
CLOVIS - Hundreds of political conservatives gathered in Clovis on Saturday, focused on turning New Mexico into a more conservative state. Representatives from various groups, most prominently Cowboys for Trump and Bikers for Trump, dealt with near-triple-digit heat to attend what was called the High Plains Freedom Ride to push for the re-election of President Donald Trump and push back against Democrats who hold every statewide and federal office in New Mexico. A planned...
PORTALES — Chris McCasland was indicted earlier this month by a Roosevelt County grand jury for receiving stolen property, and he is also facing charges in Colfax County of burglary and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle. But there are far more than three cases in the court system involving the 34-year-old McCasland, due to his time as a Roosevelt County sheriff’s deputy. The district attorney’s office is looking at how it should treat those cases where the former deputy was involved in the initial investigations. Distr...
CLOVIS — The Clovis City Commission on Thursday night approved an update to its 2017 pay plan, which included raises for all city employees of at least 2% beginning in September. Following a brief explanation by the city’s human resources department, the commission voted 7-0 to approve an updated employee classification and provide about $858,000 to cover the wage increases. City Human Resources Specialist Erin Montano said the city established market rates for employees with a study of various other entities, include 10 cit...
CLOVIS — New Mexico is not without its successes in combating the COVID-19 pandemic, with nearly three dozen states showing a higher prevalence of infection than the Land of Enchantment. But the state is not without its issues, state officials said Thursday, with the Southeast area that includes Curry and Roosevelt counties remaining problematic. The state announced, through a Thursday webinar with Human Services Secretary David Scrase and acting state Epidemiologist Chad Smelser, that it was meeting all of its gating c...
CLOVIS — A rally that was planned for Saturday morning at the 2400 block of Ashford is not happening. But, other events in support of President Trump are set to take place. A rally asking New Mexico voters to unite for a “legal peaceful protest” lost support from most of its key speakers and one of the groups it planned to honor earlier in the week, and City Manager Justin Howalt told The News a permit filed for the Saturday rally at 2420 Ashford has been withdrawn and the permit payment refunded. A flyer stated the rally wou...
PORTALES - On the surface, the Do Drop In pretty much looks the same in August as it did before the COVID-19 pandemic hit five months before. The menu board still features various sandwiches, including the Green Monster, and a quippy sign noting unsupervised children will be given espresso and a puppy. But plenty is noticeably different at the downtown Portales eatery that's been part of the community for nearly 20 years - nearly half of it under the ownership of the Mountjoy...
CLOVIS — A discussion of sponsorship goals for the Curry County Events Center and Fairgrounds quickly became a referendum on what exactly the county is paying its management company to manage during a pandemic. The county commission, by a 4-0 vote in its Tuesday morning meeting held via Zoom, tabled a marketing plan from Spectra. Commissioner Chet Spear also instructed County Manager Lance Pyle and County Attorney Stephen Doerr to explore the county’s options to enforce force majeure to relieve the county of its $7,000 mon...
CLOVIS — A political rally planned for Clovis on Saturday has garnered national attention, with local conservatives involved saying concerns from the left are overblown. A flyer for the rally, scheduled from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 2420 Ashford, implores New Mexico voters to unite for a legal and peaceful protest and notes a special tribute is planned to New Mexico law enforcement and the New Mexico Civil Guard. Three local legislators — Sen. Pat Woods, R-Broadview, and Reps. Randy Crowder and Martin Zamora, both R-Clovis — a...
CLOVIS — While they may not be having a graduation ceremony for a while, students are still getting their degrees finished at Clovis Community College. President Charles Nwankwo reported their successes during Wednesday's board of trustees virtual meeting. The college, Nwankwo said, has awarded 41 degrees, along with 10 certificates of completion and one certificate of achievement for the summer semester. Should they want to participate, Nwankwo said, those students can walk during the Dec. 11 commencement at the Curry County...
CLOVIS — A Clovis man on Thursday admitted his role in a brutal attack last September at the former Dirty Curry Creations, and pleaded to associated charges. Angelo Lopez, 19, was booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center following a plea agreement hearing in district court. Under the agreement, Lopez pleaded to counts of aggravated burglary, attempted armed robbery and aggravated battery and agreed to name two other participants in the attack. Lopez was sentenced to 15 years and required to pay restitution to S...
CLOVIS - The next few weeks are going to be tough on the staff and teachers at Clovis High School. And every other school in the Clovis system that opens virtually on Monday. And pretty much every school in the state. But CHS teachers head into Monday realizing for every issue they have, students and their families will be hard-pressed to make the adjustment to opening a school year online as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Melinda Isaacs, a sophomore English teacher, told...
CLOVIS — For reasons that began with the cancellation of the Curry County Fair, a livestock sale that took place Friday night was not the annual Curry County Junior Livestock Sale. By any name, though, the Friday night sale set what would be considered a record with a haul of $400,000 at Traci’s Greenhouse. The 2019 and 2018 Curry County Junior Livestock sales each generated about $300,000. Clay Franklin, the youth livestock sale committee president, credited the community for its overall support in abnormal cir...
PORTALES — As school board members met online Monday, they heard reports of Portales Municipal Schools staff happy to be working in classrooms again as they prepare for the new school year. “It’s nice to see them back, and most of them were glad to be back,” Superintendent Johnnie Cain told the Portales school board. “They learned a lot about the new path we’re heading.” The school board heard of numerous challenges with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, and how staff hoped to overcome them as the school year starts Monday...
PORTALES — Roosevelt County officials on Tuesday implored residents to take pride in their own housecleaning. County Manager Amber Hamilton and Road Superintendent Ricky Lovato noted during the county commission meeting the strain illegal dumping takes on the county. Hamilton said it is frustrating to go along a county road and see furniture and tires in the ditch, and Lovato said road crews spend time clearing debris from roads — time that could be spent on road maintenance. Hamilton said she would like to see more pri...
CLOVIS — If the city of Clovis were tasked to spend more than $8.5 million, the Clovis City Commission would likely take hours to go over the details. When the city’s asking for that money, on the other hand, the meeting lasts around 25 minutes. The commission by a 7-0 vote Thursday approved a funding proposal seeking $8.53 million in CARES Act funding from the state. The application for the $150 million the state seeks to distribute was due the following day. “Some money will be awarded,” Mayor Mike Morris said, “hopefu...
CLOVIS - How exactly did a man who grew up in a house without electricity or running water - and whose education ended after 10th grade - end his life with a multi-generation business halfway across the country? It's because Bill Odegaard, family members and friends said, worked hard, did things the Christian way and gave painstaking detail to the automobiles he fixed and the people who owned them. Odegaard, whose eponymous auto repair shop has been a Clovis fixture for nearly...
