Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Sorted by date Results 201 - 225 of 260
What was once the Income Support Division building in Portales will soon become the new City Hall. The location at 1028 Community Way will keep all staff under one roof instead of the offices and departments being spread among multiple buildings such as the Memorial Building, the Airport, and City Hall. "What we're trying to do is minimize how much we're paying out to buildings that we may not need," City Manager Sarah Austin said. The Income Support building, Austin...
Fireworks will, as of right now, be up for sale this summer in Portales. A fireworks sale ban did not go through City Council Tuesday evening, “because the state regulates that,” according to city manager Sarah Austin. “The only thing we could really do is stop the sale of aerial devices and ground audible devices, said Councilman Daniel Boan, who led the discussion. This is according to a New Mexico state statute that says a municipality or county shall not by ordinance regulate and prohibit the sale or use of any permissibl...
Was there ever an underpass under the tracks on south Prince Street where the bridge is now? And when was the bridge built? The Prince Street underpass was replaced by the current overpass in 1989. The overpass officially opened to traffic on Aug. 26 that year, according to the Clovis News-Journal. “Motorists excited about the opening were seen crossing the bridge and turning around to go over again throughout the day,” the newspaper reported. Construction began in August 1988. It cost a little over $5.1 million to com...
Two local, soon-to-be college graduates were scheduled to participate in West Texas A&M University’s (WTAMU) Donning of the Stoles ceremony Friday. The pre-commencement ceremony honors students and their cultures. African American, Native American, Hispanic, and international students were scheduled to take part in the tradition. Out of ninety-one, Alexandria Sanchez is the only one to be native to Clovis. Sanchez, 23, said she spent a lot of her time growing up in Clovis because of her stepdad being a Clovis resident. She s...
When Bill McCoy of Melrose saw his name on the screen as a top ten contestant in the Fundamental Spreadsheet Application category, he would have never guessed what was going to happen next. "I really didn't think that I would actually be first," McCoy said. The sophomore competed at the national Business Professionals of America (BPA) contest in Anaheim, CA last week. Out of 71 contestants with qualifying results, and over 100 total in the contest, McCoy ended up at the top...
I read in the newspaper that Jorge Cruz is leaving as the Clovis hospital’s chief executive and Presbyterian Healthcare Services is sending an interim administrator. But what is the long-term plan for our hospital and its leadership? Presbyterian Healthcare Services owns Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis. At the end of April, Presbyterian’s Vice President of Regional Delivery System Operations Noah Knisely announced Cruz, PRMC’s chief executive, decided to step away from his role. Cruz’s last day will be May 26. Req...
At their regular meeting Tuesday morning, the Roosevelt County Commission heard from County Manager Amber Hamilton as she presented a visual summary of the 2023 Roosevelt County Strategic Planning Retreat. The retreat was held at the end of March, according to Hamilton. She said, “We’re very excited to see all the fruits of our labor.” The visual served as a reflection from the retreat, and what the county hopes to accomplish over the next three years. Hamilton revealed the design to the commission for the first time at th...
In the words of Patrick Kircher, the agriculture agent for Roosevelt County, "They are really obnoxious and troublesome." And it's likely you have some in your house right now. The flutterbugs that are invading eastern New Mexico are called army cutworms. In their adult stage, they're more commonly known as miller moths. "Cutworms have been early season pests in New Mexico, becoming active when soil temperatures are above 40 ... The adult moth lays eggs in elongated clusters...
Keith Cordova, one of the men responsible for the 2020 death of Jaime Edgmon, 41, of Muleshoe, has been sentenced to 27 years in prison. Cordova on Monday pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the case. Edgmon was reported missing Oct. 12, 2020. Her body was found just a few days later near Bonestroo Dairy between Clovis and Portales. Police said Edgmon had been with Cordova, who was then 22, and Francisco Bustamante, then 24, on the evening of Oct. 13,...
It was a packed house Saturday night at Greyhound Arena for the Aaron Watson concert. With seats full and the floor filled with dancing, it was a good night for enjoying country music. The show kicked off at 7 p.m. with Jenna Paulette, who wasn't an artist I was familiar with at the beginning of the night. However, her sound and engaging performance made me know who she was by the end. Following Paulette on the stage was Roosevelt County's own, Will Banister. His performance...
The Hillcrest Park Zoo introduced the two baby kangaroos to some of its members Wednesday and Thursday. At the members-only meet and greet on Wednesday, organizers said all the time slots were fully booked with around 100 people attending. More attended on Thursday. The male and female joeys were brought into their new homes in Clovis in February, and they've been adjusting well, according to Zoo Curator Stephanie Chavez. "They have doubled in size and have created a special b...
At their regular meeting Tuesday night, a recommendation was approved by the Portales City Council for the Portales Fun Center to sell packaged goods/alcohol for off-premises consumption. Councilman Jim Lucero said he was part of this with RCCDC (Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation) in getting this to pass through. Lucero said, “It has always been the owner’s business model to try to have consumption of alcohol in the premise.” City Manager Sarah Austin said the business has expressed interest in having on si...
With Eastern New Mexico University’s spring commencement just around the corner, local businesses in Portales are gearing up for the large crowds. The Best Western and Holiday Inn hotels in Portales are both either booked up completely or just a few rooms away from being booked completely for the weekend of May 13. So booked, that some are getting redirected to the Sleep Inn hotel over in Clovis. Stephen Rodriguez, the general manager of the Sleep Inn, said that right now they’re only at half capacity. However, he exp...
For over 20 years, Aaron Watson has been making music. He has no plans to go "Outta Style" anytime soon since he's performing in Portales this Saturday at the Greyhound Arena. The singer-songwriter is no stranger to eastern New Mexico. Watson, 45, was born and raised in Amarillo, and attended New Mexico Junior College in Hobbs to play baseball back in the day. Watson has played several concerts in Clovis including the Curry County Fair, and he said he's excited to be back on...
What is the 60/84 project and when will it start? The 60/84 project is one that Clovis City Manager Justin Howalt believes has been needed for quite some time now. “The roadway and the corridor have been deteriorating for a long time,” he said. Running from Prince Street and to the west, all the way down to approximately Grand, Howalt said the 60/84 project will be “full reconstruction of the roadway.” This includes utility replacements, storm drainage improvements, signalization, and lighting improvements. New concret...
After months of going back and forth between the Roosevelt County Commission and the Portales City Council, a decision was made regarding the Portales Communications Center. The council approved a revised agreement at their last meeting on April 11. Originally, the commission offered $125,000 worth of funding for FY23 (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023) for dispatch services. However, the city council previously requested $175,000. It was ultimately decided to keep the funding at...
The first Wings Over Cannon air show since 2018 was set to take place Saturday, and the News caught up with organizers at their rehearsal day Friday morning. Col. Brent Greer is the vice wing commander of the 27th Special Operations Wing, and he said he has overseen the planning and now execution of the air show. The planning for the show goes way back, according to Greer. "At least nine months since I've been here, we started planning the safety aspects of this air show," he...
Eastern New Mexico University has spent the last several years creating new products in collaboration with New Mexico-based companies. They’ve come out with salsa, coffee, and now they can add beer and cocktails to their list of goodies. The university announced last week a partnership with the Red Door Brewing Company to produce Blackwater Draw Lager, a Bohemian-style Pilsner Lager, and their partnership with the Mother Trail Beverage Company to produce “The Greyhound,” which is a cocktail made with grapefruit juice and g...
Over the last two years, St. James’ Episcopal Church in Clovis has gone without a full-time priest. However, that position has recently been filled; the new priest arriving just in time for Holy Week. Simon Carian, 35, is approaching his ten-year anniversary of being ordained. He was recently hired and started as the Rector of the church. Carian said Rector is another way of saying “priest in charge.” Carian is no stranger to Clovis, and he said the decision to take on this role was easy for him. “The church is very beautiful...
At their regular meeting Tuesday, the Portales City Council approved a revised contract with the Roosevelt County Commission regarding the Portales Communications Center. After the commission’s meeting last Tuesday, City Manager Sarah Austin said the fire chief, police chief, and sheriff met with the board to come up with new revisions. Originally, the commission offered $125,000 worth of funding for FY23 (July 1, 2022-June 30, 2023) for dispatch services. However, the city council requested $175,000. It was ultimately d...
What is under construction next to the Clovis Aquatic Center? The Hillcrest Senior Life Center is set to open by September, according to Clovis city Senior Services Director Barbara Riggan. Riggan had one word to describe what she likes about the new center. "Windows," she said. "We have no windows at the Friendship Senior Center." The Friendship Senior Center, on 13th Street west of Thornton, is where seniors have been gathering since it opened in 1985, Riggan said. "Its...
Aren’t April showers supposed to bring May flowers? Not around here. At least not these days. The regional weather forecast calls for warm and dry with potential for fire and high winds for at least the rest of this month and likely into next. “It looks dry again. I sound like a broken record,” said Annette Mokry, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Jacob Riley, a meteorologist in Lubbock, said drought conditions in the region are even worsening. Most of the area failed to record any measurable rainfall amounts...
Fans know him as Uncle Kracker. His real name is Matt Shafer and he said he's excited to be a part of the Clovis Music Festival this week. Uncle Kracker, a singer-songwriter and rapper, is the opening act for the Eli Young Band on Friday night at the Curry County Events Center. Shafer takes the stage at 8 p.m. followed by the headliner at 9:30. Gates open at 6:30. Shafer, 48, said he scored his first record deal when he was 15. He's been closely associated with Kid Rock since...
Why isn’t “Clovis Man” used in branding Clovis? “Clovis Man” was so named when archaeologists gathered significant evidence of a population of humans who lived in North America more than 13,000 years ago in the Blackwater Draw Site in Roosevelt County. Researchers named the “Clovis culture” because of the distinctive spear points and other stone tools first found not far from Clovis in the 1920s. “I agree our logo should involve Clovis Man,” Clovis-Curry County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ernie Kos said. “But the c...
Christy Waite will forever remember the impact Duane Ryan had on her career as a broadcast journalist. "Being in college and, you know, learning how to do all of that stuff can be really overwhelming. But he's so encouraging," she said last week from Greenville, S.C., where she works as a morning anchor for a television station. "I don't even know if he knows the impact that he's had on so many of our lives. You know, a lot of us are the journalists we are today because of...
