Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Sorted by date Results 476 - 500 of 5814
CLOVIS — Curry County commissioners got no guarantees on what state public health orders would be a few days from now, let alone the next few weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic. But commissioners did get some insight from Brian Moore, co-chair of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s Economic Advisory Council, during their Tuesday morning meeting. Moore, a grocery store owner in Clayton, told commissioners he feels like he and co-chair Christina Campos represent the smaller populations of the state’s eastern side while most of the c...
CLOVIS — There’s still plenty of data Curry County has no idea about for the 2020-21 fiscal year. But there’s no question the county will have less money to work with as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Commissioners approved on Tuesday a preliminary budget of $32.618 million — a decrease of $8.6 million from the current fiscal year. County Manager Lance Pyle noted that gross receipts taxes from March were off by 13.5% from March 2019. Since many business restrictions began in mid-March, Pyle estimates the next few months w...
CLOVIS — Following positive tests for two of its employees over the weekend, Retirement Ranch has tested all of its residents and staff and early returns showed one positive resident test. Trisha Gross, social services director at the facility, said Tuesday afternoon that full results are still pending, but the facility received the positive resident test Monday night. The resident is asymptomatic, and has been put into isolation. The facility tested 234 people through Sunday, which included all residents and 95% of its e...
PORTALES — Three candidates, one the incumbent, are on the June 2 primary ballot to be the Republican nominee for Roosevelt County probate judge. The winner of the primary does not have any general election opposition from the Democratic or Libertarian parties. Michelle Bargas is the incumbent, with Gracy Stone and Kendall Terry running for the position as well. The judge handles the formal judicial process for transferring the property of a person who has died. The salary for the term will be $20,024. Michelle Bargas O...
PORTALES — There are two candidates in the June 2 Republican primary for the District 2 slot on the Roosevelt County Commission. The winner faces no opposition in the November general election. Matthew Hunton, the incumbent, is running against Rodney Savage. The position pays $22,832 annually. Matthew Hunton Occupation: Insurance agent/business owner Prior or current elected offices held: Portales City Council, 2012-16. Curry County Commission, 2017-present. What experience do you have that will prepare you for the u...
CLOVIS - The mission of ENMRSH in Clovis is to "provide services to enhance the lives of adults with different abilities and support the development of children and families in our programs." And it's a wide net with generally 500 to 600 interactions a month. The mission hasn't changed over the last two months, even as the requirements under which staff fulfills it were turned upside down in March with the COVID-19 pandemic. "No services are allowed to remain in any...
PORTALES — The Portales Municipal Schools Board of Education spent about two hours Monday afternoon discussing and approving a 2020-21 budget they knew wasn’t going to survive the COVID-19 pandemic, and a Portales High School graduation they hoped would. The proposed 10 a.m. May 23 commencement at the Portales High School parking lot will feature about 185 students attending in their own vehicles before taking part in a student parade once they’re officially graduates. “We’re hoping this will be the only graduation in Portal...
CLOVIS — Christopher Rousseau came to Portales four years ago with his family, and he hopes he can move to Fort Worth with his family again with a new welding career lined up. However, the Clovis Community College student is finding his plans upended by the COVID-19 pandemic, and every day of uncertainty just turns up the heat a little bit more. Rousseau is working toward an advanced level certificate in welding, and is on the final semester of the three-semester program. “We learn how to do specific welds,” Rousseau said....
PORTALES — Plenty of work was still left between Friday afternoon and its May 30 airing, but much has begun on Eastern New Mexico University’s virtual spring commencement service. John Houser, assistant vice president of marketing and communications for ENMU, updated regents briefly during their virtual meeting. The commencement will be broadcast 10 a.m. May 30 on KENW 3-1 and 3-2 and streamed at the same time at enmu.edu. Houser said Interim Chancellor Patrice Caldwell and all deans are scheduled to pre-record speeches May 2...
CLOVIS — President Charles Nwankwo told Clovis Community College trustees he anticipates bringing employees back onto campus May 18, with plenty of precautions to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Nwankwo told trustees of his plans during the trustees’ regular May meeting, held online due to mass gathering restrictions brought on by the pandemic. He said the plans to bring employees back include limiting the college to use of just three entrances, taking people’s temperatures and requiring masks, and noted that he stand...
CLOVIS - To anybody who's been in Clovis a few years, the name Phil Williams means trains. He opened the Clovis Depot Model Train Museum more than a quarter century ago. And he helped found the Clovis Model Train Society, which spearheaded the effort to move the 9005 locomotive to its current location on First Street. But there were plenty of tracks with Williams, who died April 30 from heart complications. He lived throughout the world, never stopped learning and could...
CLOVIS — New Clovis Mayor Mike Morris told the Clovis City Commission on Thursday he believes the city is ready for reopening businesses and other facilities immediately. He also shared that message as part of a mayor’s council to which he’s been appointed. But Morris noted that while regional approaches remain on the table, the governor’s office and Department of Health are still favoring uniform reopening guidelines for the state during the COVID-19 pandemic. As of Friday, the state had 4,673 confirmed positive tests f...
It’s clear that public entities see rough times ahead, with the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect on commerce, oil prices and anything else you can imagine that funds governments. What the rough times specifically mean, however, is still tough to tell. Disbursement of gross receipts tax revenue falls two months behind collection, and local municipalities will know on Friday what they can expect to receive from March revenues. The state closed schools March 16, and restrictions on businesses began later that week. The New Mexico Leg...
Early voting for the June 2 primary has begun, with both the Curry and Roosevelt county clerk's offices reopened for that specific purpose. Other functions provided by the clerk's offices will still be handled on an appointment basis. With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing, many voters are expected to take the path of absentee ballots. The state is not mailing out absentee ballot applications, but instead mailers have been sent that tell voters how to apply for an absentee ball...
CLOVIS — Curry County commissioners expressed appreciation for a newfound clean water partnership in response to PFAS groundwater contamination near Cannon Air Force Base, but indicated Tuesday morning they weren’t sure it was wise or even legal for the county to join. Commissioners spent much of their Tuesday meeting listening to a presentation by John Kern of the Clean Water Partnership — Cannon. Kern said the CWP is not affiliated with the base, but wants to “provide the leadership that helps develop a solid remedia...
CLOVIS — There were no action items, no votes to be taken during the superintendent’s report at Tuesday’s Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education meeting. But the report from Superintendent Renee Russ was by far the most voluminous and the most well received portion of the meeting as she spoke about the challenges and successes the district has had managing the COVID-19 pandemic on the fly. “We have employees who have shown extreme flexibility,” Russ said, “and just a willingness to step in stride with us at the distric...
CLOVIS - Different carrier, different planes, different direction. A quick transition was made Friday at Clovis Municipal Airport, with Denver Air Connection taking over Essential Air Service operations at the facility. The U.S. Department of Transportation selected Key Lime Air in February for a two-year order to take over for Boutique Air, which had offered Clovis residents service to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport since 2014. Denver Air Connection, a subsidiary of...
CLOVIS - Kent Pearson strolled into Clovis Municipal Airport on Thursday afternoon, then checked in, dropped off his rental car key and checked his bag like he's done at countless other airports. Then he was told to help himself to the front counter spread with sodas, a meat and cheese tray and dozens of cupcakes creating the Boutique Air logo with a border of vanilla and chocolate. Unaware of what he'd stumbled into, he asked himself, "Is this how they treat EVERY...
PORTALES — The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office on Monday said via its Facebook page it won’t enforce public health orders that have closed many small businesses. The post also encouraged business owners to “Keep doors closed and locked and limit your patrons in numbers. “We support your rights to open your business but ask that if you do, you do so discreetly and responsibly.” It also states the sheriff’s office won’t enforce “any mandates set by MLG or the NM Dept. of H... Full story
CLOVIS — A gross receipts tax increment first put in place 20 years ago is still in place, but Curry County Commission members have taken a first step toward redirecting its use. By a 5-0 vote Monday, the commission introduced an ordinance covering the county’s .125% environmental tax. If commissioners approve the ordinance following a public hearing in their May 19 meeting, the tax will on Jan. 1 be stripped of its current designation “for the acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance of solid waste facilities, wa...
CLOVIS — A gross receipts tax increment first put in place 20 years ago is still in place, but Curry County Commission members have taken a first step toward redirecting its use. By a 5-0 vote Monday, the commission introduced an ordinance covering the county’s .125% environmental tax. If commissioners approve the ordinance following a public hearing in their May 19 meeting, the tax will on Jan. 1 be stripped of its current designation “for the acquisition, construction, operation and maintenance of solid waste facilities, wa...
Amid non-essential business shutdowns and stay-at-home/shelter-in-place orders, Americans have faced numerous COVID-19 pandemic issues. Many of those were just as much supply-chain issues as supply issues. Take March 18 in Albuquerque, when a toilet paper manufacturer that primarily served wholesale distributors tweaked its supply chain and offered a public sale. Miles of cars lined up at Roses Southwest Papers Inc. and drivers frustrated by empty grocery store shelves forked over $35 in cash for 96 rolls of the new white...
CLOVIS — The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority will see some changes to its makeup less than four weeks from now. It spent some time Thursday preparing for just that. Effective May 20, the board will transition to a six-person board to reflect the departures of Melrose, Grady and Curry County from the authority. As first constructed in 2011, the authority board is currently at seven members with three from Clovis, two from Portales, one from Curry County and one that rotates annually between Melrose, Grady, Texico a...
PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University will pay outgoing Chancellor Jeff Elwell nearly six figures following a resignation he attributed to “serious health issues,” effective Friday. Documentation on Elwell’s departure was acquired through public records requests by The News. Calls made to Elwell and Board of Regents President Terry Othick were not immediately returned. Details of Elwell's health issues were not made public. According to the separation agreement created April 13 and signed by both parties April 17: • Elwell...
PORTALES — Add Roosevelt County to the list of entities looking to amend its own path forward dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. By a 4-0 vote, county commissioners on Monday approved a resolution asking the state to delegate authority to local governments during the pandemic and reopen businesses closed under public health orders, provided they implement the same mitigating practices required of essential businesses. Roosevelt County as of Monday had one positive COVID-19 case, and that person has since recovered, a...
