Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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CLOVIS — Two developers with big plans for Ute Lake have met resistance from officials who fear development may contaminate the lake’s water, reserved as a future drinking supply for residents of eastern New Mexico. Developers Sid Strebeck and Warren Frost, who sell lots along Ute Lake’s south shore, are asking the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) to pass a resolution in support of economic development around Ute Reservoir. The resolution seeks support of additional residential property around the lake, community boat... Full story
Dan Synnott of Clovis rides a jet ski during a May visit at Ute Lake near Logan (CNJ file photo). Two area developers with big plans for Ute Lake have met resistance from officials who fear development may contaminate the lake’s water, reserved as a future drinking supply for residents of eastern New Mexico. Clovis’ Sid Strebeck and Logan developer Warren Frost, who sell lots along Ute Lake’s south shore but are not partners, are asking the Interstate Stream Commission (ISC) to pass a resolution in support of economic devel... Full story
Neil Nuttall is in his eighth year with Clovis schools The superintendent of Clovis schools would like to forward his career beyond K-12 education, a desire confirmed by his recent interest in the president’s job at North Central Missouri College. Officials at the Trenton, Mo.-based college are interested in Neil Nuttall, too. He is one of four finalists of 41 applicants vying to fill the office of former North Central Missouri president Walter Nolte, who in June accepted a position at Casper Community College in Casper, W... Full story
The superintendent of Clovis schools would like to forward his career beyond K-12 education, a desire confirmed by his recent interest in the president’s job at North Central Missouri College. Officials at the Trenton, Mo.-based college are interested in Neil Nuttall, too. He is one of four finalists of 41 applicants vying to fill the office of former North Central Missouri president Walter Nolte, who in June accepted a position at Casper Community College in Casper, Wyo. The finalists — narrowed from eight to four this wee...
An 82-year-old Curry County woman became the third person in New Mexico to die from West Nile Virus, a condition obtained through bites of infected mosquitos. Officials with the New Mexico Department of Health reported the woman’s death Thursday but were unclear as to when she died. So far this year there have been 63 confirmed cases of West Nile statewide, about half the amount at this same time last year. Two cases have been confirmed in Curry County — the woman who died and a 56-year-old woman, said Paul Ettestad, doc... Full story
A Curry County district judge on Thursday denied a bond-change request for a Clovis man charged with first-degree murder in connection with a January shootout that left one man dead. Eric Duran, 26, of Clovis, charged with driving a vehicle in which two passengers allegedly gunned down 27-year-old Carlos Murillo, was denied a reduction of his $120,000 cash-surety bond after family members of the alleged victim and a Curry County sheriff’s deputy testified before Judge Stephen Quinn. Quinn added a caveat: If Duran posts b... Full story
A sociable sort, Charles “Gus” Williams was often smiling, spun humorous tales and had a hankering for good conversation, family members said. His brother Ronnie Williams wishes he could have witnessed those traits more often — especially after college. “I wish to God I would have went back and spent more time with him during those years,” the older brother said. Charles died Sunday in Tacoma, Wash., of what was probably a heart attack, family members said. He was 44. Charles’ siblings were in shock when they heard the n...
James Rogers A Clovis man was convicted of voluntary manslaughter last week. The victim’s mother had hoped for more. James Rogers, 43, of Clovis, was convicted on Friday of shooting and killing David Wilt, 47, on Sept. 9, 2003, in a mutual friend’s home at 4220 N. Prince Street. “I just don’t understand why it wasn’t being a murder charge,” said Anita Wilt, the victim’s mother. “Manslaughter just doesn’t seem fair enough.” A Curry County grand jury on Sept. 26 thought otherwise, saying the crime was committed in a “heat of pa...
Rafael Benavides of Clovis registers to vote Thursday at the Curry County Courthouse. Helping Benavides and 10-month old daughter Nina is deputy clerk Stephanie Boydston. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) A national grassroots group has infiltrated two area colleges in an effort to get young voters to the polls for the November presidential election. The local organizer for the New Voters Project said she’d like to see at least 600 students at Clovis Community College and 900 at Eastern New Mexico University register. “We are app...
Troy Hill gives emergency medical services personnel a thumbs up before competing in the Special Olympics on Saturday at the Curry County Fairgrounds. (Staff photo: Mike Linn) Some of them needed help guiding their horses around an obstacle course. But judging by the expressions on their faces, this weekend’s Special Olympics was just as important as the one that recently ended in Athens, Greece. While there were no gold medals awarded during the annual event at the Curry County Fairgrounds, there were lots of smiles, c... Full story
David Irvin It was the second great wave of rock ’n’ roll, the days of the Allman Brothers, Deep Purple and the Led Zeppelin. It was the early 1970s, and there was little doubt around the country, California was the place to be. Like many, Clovis native Tony Sena knew location was important for musicians. So after high school in the 1970s the teen took his dream — and his guitar — to California. But his dream ended on Aug. 17 when he unexplainably died at a friend’s home in Marina Del Ray, Calif. He was 53. Family and friends... Full story
Curry County sheriff’s deputy David Kube has made house calls notifying parents that their children have died. Each time he gave the bad news, he told himself the day would never come when a tragic fatality would afflict his family. Unfortunately for Kube that day came Tuesday, when police notified him that his 20-year-old son — Spencer D. Kube, of Texico — died in a vehicle rollover near House. “I see parents who lose kids ... and you hope that never happens to you and you tell yourself that it will never happen and the nex... Full story
Construction at the Southwest Cheese Plant is 25 percent complete. The plant is scheduled to open in October 2005. Staff photo by Eric Kluth. Victor Orlowski cut about 60 hours of road time a month off his schedule when he came to Clovis to work at the Southwest Cheese Plant. The plant’s engineer said he doesn’t miss the traffic and long trek involved with his former job at Dean Foods in Los Angeles, and is looking forward to working and living on the High Plains. He’s one of about 110 employees working for what will become t...
Victor Orlowski cut about 60 hours of road time a month off his schedule when he came to Clovis to work at the Southwest Cheese Plant. The plant’s engineer said he doesn’t miss the traffic and long trek involved with his former job at Dean Foods in Los Angeles, and is looking forward to working and living on the High Plains. He’s one of about 110 employees working for what will become the largest cheese and whey plant in North America. After construction of the $200 million plant, Orlowski will organize and direct the maint...
Curry County sheriff’s deputy David Kube has made house calls notifying parents that their children have died. Each time he gave the bad news, he told himself the day would never come when a tragic fatality would afflict his family. Unfortunately for Kube that day came Tuesday, when police notified him that his 20-year-old son — Spencer D. Kube, of Texico — died in a vehicle rollover near House. “I see parents who lose kids ... and you hope that never happens to you and you tell yourself that it will never happen and the nex...
Sgt. Shane Sanders, left, posing with his mother Charmain Howard, center, and stepfather Joe Howard, spent 15 months with the U.S Army’s 501st Military Intelligence in Iraq. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Army linguist spent time in two of Saddam Hussein’s palaces. Surrounded by marble walls, Army Sgt. Shane Sanders served his country in one of Saddam Hussein’s many palaces in Baghdad, Iraq. There, the 1997 Clovis High School graduate worked eight to 10 hours a day transcribing mounds of information from Arabic to English. He sa...
District Judge Stephen Quinn enjoys mending fences. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) For 15 years, Judge Stephen Quinn has presided over a myriad of cases in 9th Judicial District Court. Boredom, he said, is as rare as the steaks at a cattlemen’s banquet. “It’s never dull,” said Quinn, who said he often works 50- or 60-hour weeks. Quinn was the highest paid state employee in Curry County in 2003, earning $86,896, according to records obtained by the Clovis News Journal. He presides over criminal, civil, probate and guardia... Full story
Gloria Mares has worked for the school system for 28 years. She said most custodians leave because they cannot adjust to the once-a-month pay. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Adriana Corrales has gotten used to the screaming, the kicking and the obscenities. The booking clerk at the Curry County Adult Detention Center works about 30 feet from the detox tank and about 20 feet from two holding cells. When she first started, the mentally ill patients bothered her. They couldn’t always control their bladders and needed to be watched c...
Mike Linn: CNJ news editor Taxpayer-bought automobiles, free memberships to Gym X and tuition waivers are the main incentives — besides paychecks and benefits — for public employees working in Curry County. Most of Curry County’s high-ranking public employees drive in cars paid for by the public agency they serve. City and county officials serving in management, officials with the street and road departments, and many on-call employees get to take vehicles home. However, the privilege comes with a price: City and count...
From the first day of classes to the last day of finals — and the hot summers in between — top-level educators in Curry County are charged with running our schools. They sit atop education’s vast pyramid, and are the highest-paid public servants in Curry County, earning more than most city, county and state employees, according to salary records obtained by the Clovis News Journal for 2003. The records show 20 of the 25 highest-paid public officials in the county last year worked for Clovis Community College or Clovi... Full story
The cause of death of a Clovis railroad worker moving a tank car is still under investigation, according to city and railroad officials. Glen A. “Skip” York II, 26, an employee with Burlington Northern and Santa Fe rail yard, was killed Thursday afternoon by a derailed rail car, according to a Clovis Police Department report. Jonathan Anderson, 20, the engine’s co-operator, told police he and York were on the catwalk on the west end of the engine’s tank car when the accident occurred, according to the report. The tank ca...
Clovis High School senior Phillip Williams tries to get around a Pampa defender as he looks for a opening during the first half of Friday's game in Pampa, Texas. Williams ran for three touchdowns in the Wildcats' 20-18 loss. CNJ photo by Eric Kluth PAMPA, Texas — A dropped two-point conversion after a bobbled snap. A missed extra-point. A wide-open receiver in the end zone overthrown. The little things that drive coaches mad plagued the Clovis Wildcats on Friday night, allowing the Pampa Harvesters to survive an e...
With members of the Curry County United Way hoping to raise at least 9 percent above last year’s sum, this year’s success may depend on donations as small as a penny — literally. To help meet a $392,500 goal, Clovis schools Superintendent Neil Nuttall is spearheading a friendly competition among teachers and students at Clovis schools to donate loose change. “We’ve always looked for a way our students can participate, because our staff participates at a very high level,” Nuttall said. “We’ll probably get some financial benef...
Goddard’s Andrew Young battles for a ball with Clovis sophomore Michael Hernandez in the first half of Tuesday night’s game in Clovis.Young scored Goddard’s goal in a 3-1 loss. (Staff photo by Rick White) When Clovis senior Kendal Essex spied Roswell Goddard’s goalkeeper out of position early in the second half he didn’t hesitate to take a shot at the net — even at 25 yards out. The decision proved vital for the Clovis Wildcats. Essex’s two goals — and the Rockets rare but costly breakdowns on defense — led the Wildcats to a... Full story
New Mexico men’s basketball coach Ritchie McKay spoke Monday to the local Fellowship of Christian Athletes at Clovis High School. (Staff photo: Rick White) Ritchie McKay likens many Christians to youngsters during Halloween, a day in which children pull masks over their faces in the hopes of becoming — if only for a night — someone or something they’re not. But he said to be passionate for Jesus Christ means the masks of sin must come off, that Christians need to follow God’s guidance in everything they do. The Universit... Full story
