Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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A Clovis couple’s last-minute pledge of more than $11,000 to the Curry County United Way has enabled the organization to meet its campaign goal for the year. Mike and Joyce Landgraf pledged $11,421 Thursday night to the local United Way, meaning the organization will meet its goal for the year — a day after the organization’s campaign ended. For Landgraf, it was a Thursday story in the Clovis News Journal that prompted his pledge. “I didn’t like reading that we didn’t make (goal) this year,” Landgraf said. “You don’t need to... Full story
Eric Barela, 16, eludes the tackle of Jared West, 16, as he makes his way to the end zone for a touchdown Wednesday at Spencer Field in Clovis. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) When most people were sleeping early Wednesday morning, city street department employees were braving the chilly, snowy air, dumping concoctions of sand and salt at intersections to help keep motorists safe. In all, the crews drove the salt trucks for 12 hours until 3 p.m. — two crews of eight, working eight-hour, overlapping shifts — on a day in which Clo... Full story
Clovis Park Superintendent Neil Lambert looks for leaks in the roof and cracks in the tiles Monday at the Youth Recreation Building at the northeast corner of Seventh and Sycamore streets. (Staff photo: Mike Linn) As sunlight pokes through the cracks in the foundation of the city-owned Youth Recreation Building, Parks and Recreation Director Rob Carter delivers a laundry list of reasons why he thinks the building should be demolished. The tiles are cracked, the roof leaks and there is no electricity. When it rains, he said,...
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE — As I walked toward the wounded with a medical bag in hand Friday, I couldn’t help but shudder at how badly one of the victims looked. Her eye was dangling out of its socket a good 6 inches (at least the makeup and fake eye made it look that way). Her shin bone was protruding from the skin. She had blood stains all over her body. And unfortunately she was conscious, which according to Cannon Air Force Base officials can sometimes make matters tougher. “Help. Help. Help,” the woman muttered. As part of a...
Staff Sgt. Jason Peters explains how to care for an injured soldier during a triage exercise for pre-deployment training Friday at Cannon Air Force Base.(Staff photo: Eric Kluth) CANNON AIR FORCE BASE — As I walked toward the wounded with a medical bag in hand Friday, I couldn’t help but shudder at how badly one of the victims looked. Her eye was dangling out of its socket a good 6 inches (at least the makeup and fake eye made it look that way). Her shin bone was protruding from the skin. She had blood stains all over her...
Cops and courts The second in command at the Clovis Police Department has retired from the force after more than 30 years. Deputy Chief R.E. “Bart” Bartosiewicz said his last official day will be Friday, but he’s on vacation until then. “I’m tired of the (bull) and everything else that goes along with it. I’m tired of the nonsense ... just tired ... been doing (police work for) 36 years,” he said. When asked to explain his comments, he said: “I don’t burn bridges, if you know what I mean.” Bartosiewicz said he’d like to now p... Full story
Christian Heller Jr., right, laughs as he visits with his niece Rebecca, 8, at the Hellers’ home Friday in Clovis. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Christian Heller Jr. wheels his way to the living room, a tight grin on his face and a desire to have what most people take for granted. Paralyzed from the ribs down after a car accident this summer, Heller Jr. said every day he thinks of what life would be like to walk again. The chances are slim, he said, but he knows feeling sorry for himself won’t help. “I tell myself I’ve got to... Full story
Karlee Johnson, left, and Mellisa Mapes trade ornaments at Monday night’s “Party with a Purpose” at a home in the 500 block of Chanticlear Place in Clovis. (CNJ staff photo: Mike Linn) At first glance it looked like a normal Christmas party. At the base of the tree were carefully wrapped packages for an ornament exchange. Faint music played in the background. The women chatted and laughed in scattered groups: Some in the living room, others in the kitchen; some with glasses of wine, others with soda; some with plates full...
Clint Harden will return to the state Senate next month, according to county clerks who participated in a recount of votes involving the Republican incumbent from Clovis and Robert Frost, D-San Jon. State officials said Thursday they’ve not received official results, but the clerks said Harden’s 36-vote lead prior to the recount will stand. Frost asked for the partial recount for the Senate District 7 seat; his request covered only 11 precincts, in Taos, Union and Colfax counties. Secretary of State officials said rec...
Decades of ideas and years of preparation reached fruition Thursday when the Clovis City Commission approved a multi-million dollar bid to construct an events center. The commission approved by a 7-1 vote a $5 million bid by White Sands Construction of Alamogordo to construct the center, which will include a full-service kitchen, a meeting room and an access drive to the center’s parking lot. The approval includes permission for city officials to seek a $3.5 million bond to finance the project. “I think this deserves a rou...
Clovis junior Vanessa O’Neal pressures Frenship’s Danielle Blakeley Monday night at Rock Staubus Gym. No team has scored more than 47 points on the Lady Wildcats this season. (CNJ staff photo: Mike Linn) The Clovis boys basketball team weathered the storm unscathed. Despite not being at full strength because of football, the Wildcats have come out of their first five games undefeated, and boys coach J.D. Isler credits the defense. Through the first five games, the Wildcats are allowing 39.8 points a game and their opp...
Zia Elementary second-grade teacher Terri Damron has two budgets for school supplies — one from the school and one from her husband. When she runs out of budgeted money for her classroom, or when certain items can’t be bought with a purchase order, she reaches into her own pocket to buy arts, crafts and other items that help enhance learning for her students. She said she spends about $350 a year of her own money, and would spend more if her husband would let her. “Basically the budget (Clovis schools) gives us goes towar... Full story
Staff Sgt. David Sanchez shares his war experiences Monday with sixth-graders Debra Lewis and Stephen Savage at James Bickley Elementary. (Staff photo: Mike Linn) When roughly 150 young students Monday asked what it was like to be in war, Cannon Air Force Base Staff Sgt. David Sanchez answered with an illustration: The Air Force firefighter asked the after school students at James Bickley Elementary to close their eyes and imagine themselves sitting on a peaceful night with their friends and family around a table at their... Full story
Gas prices seen here at gas stations at the corner of Llano Estacado and Prince Streets have been dropping in recent weeks. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Virgil Helker fills up his gas tank twice a week for frequent trips to Tucumcari and Portales from his Clovis home. While his Buick LeSabre gets good gas mileage, a recent drop in gas prices in the area is saving him even more money. In Clovis, average prices for regular gasoline have dropped 35 cents in the past two months and are 27 cents below the state average of $1.84. “Tha...
Virgil Helker fills up his gas tank twice a week for frequent trips to Tucumcari and Portales from his Clovis home. While his Buick LeSabre gets good gas mileage, a recent drop in gas prices in the area is saving him even more money. In Clovis, average prices for regular gasoline have dropped 35 cents in the past two months and are 27 cents below the state average of $1.84. “That’s good news to me,” Helker said while filling up his car Tuesday afternoon in Portales. Helker said he travels eastern New Mexico to check vario...
Clovis Lady Wildcats junior Tori Quintana dishes a pass to a wide open teammate during Monday’s win over Frenship in Clovis. (CNJ staff photo: Mike Linn) The Frenship Tigers had the size advantage over Clovis on Monday night, but that didn’t seem to bother Brittany Blackmon. The Lady Cats junior post scored a career-high 32 points and pulled down nine rebounds as Clovis crushed Frenship 68-46 in Rock Staubus Gymnasium. The Wolfforth, Texas, school is ranked No. 4 in Class 4A, and has five players 6-foot or taller, com... Full story
Clovis City Manager Ray Mondragon, left, jokes with his secretary Vicki Reyes Thursday in his office at city hall while thanking his employees for their service over the years. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) On Ray Mondragon’s desk in city hall, phone messages from residents pile up on a note spike. It’s a small sign he’s done his job, he says, as each returned phone message reiterates his “hands-on” management style. “It’s important to return every phone call from every resident,” he said. “Despite the issue, whether they were...
A group of e-mails that list military bases likely scheduled for retirement in the upcoming base realignment and closure (BRAC) process are nothing more than a hoax, officials say. A spokesman for U.S. Sen. Pete Domenici said Tuesday that information regarding base closures won’t be available until after the BRAC Commission has been formed in March. The Secretary of Defense would then submit his proposed BRAC list to Congress in mid-May. “Every time there’s a BRAC, these lists pop up,” said Matthew Letourneau, Domenici’s spok... Full story
A Roosevelt County jury has acquitted Clovis Community College of allegations of discrimination filed against the college by a former administrator. Laura Jane Flores, a former Portales resident and former dean of instruction at CCC, filed a lawsuit against the college and CCC President Beverlee McClure claiming she was fired in March of 2002 as a result of racial discrimination and breach of contract. Court records show the jury ruled that Flores’ race was not a “substantial or motivating factor” in the college’s decision to...
A Roosevelt County jury has acquitted Clovis Community College of allegations of discrimination filed against the college by a former administrator. Laura Jane Flores, a former Portales resident and former dean of instruction at CCC, filed a lawsuit against the college and CCC President Beverlee McClure claiming she was fired in March of 2002 as a result of racial discrimination and breach of contract. Court records show the jury ruled that Flores’ race was not a “substantial or motivating factor” in the college’s decision to... Full story
A district judge on Monday postponed the sentencing of a Clovis man convicted of voluntary manslaughter, saying he needed a diagnostic evaluation of the defendant before making his decision. District Judge Joe Parker said he would like to learn specific anger issues that affect James Rogers, 43, of Clovis. A Curry County jury convicted Rogers in September of shooting and killing David Wilt, 47, on Sept. 9, 2003, in a mutual friend’s home at 4220 N. Prince Street. Rogers’ attorney, Arthur Bustos of Las Vegas, N.M., req...
Certified police officers have applied in increasing numbers for positions with the Clovis Police Department, a recent trend Police Chief Bill Carey believes is due to enhanced recruiting efforts and recent salary increases approved by the City Commission. A $714,000 departmentwide salary increase in November for Clovis police has made the department competitive statewide, Carey said, and an eight-second advertisement on cable television and DVDs that go to potential applicants sell the community and the department....
Just days away from coming home, with bags packed and family reunions planned, members of Charles Day’s Army National Guard unit received the demoralizing news their service in and around Iraq would be extended three months. The Clovis resident said shortly after the news, several Guardsmen who were trying to stick it out with back injuries decided it was time to see the doctor. About three or four Guardsmen, a small percentage of the force, left due to stress. In all, his unit went from 126 members to 88 during the t...
A Clovis man appeared in Curry County Magistrate Court on Thursday to face charges he set the Bender Chevrolet dealership aflame on Oct. 23. Aaron Quinones, 20, of Clovis, was arrested on Nov. 23 after detectives with the Clovis Police Department matched shoe prints taken from the scene with Quinones’ shoes, court records show. Assistant District Attorney Jennifer Burrill said tools left at the scene of the crime belonged to Quinones’ step-father. He’s charged with breaking and entering (fourth-degree felony) and arson over... Full story
Clovis assistant coach Cal Fullerton, left, consoles Clovis senior linebacker Jason Burns after the Class 5A state championship game against La Cueva on Saturday at Leon Williams Stadium. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) By the third quarter, groups of Clovis Wildcats football fans began funneling down stands and toward the exits. For those who decided to stick to the end, there wasn’t much to cheer about during La Cueva’s 40-0 thrashing of Clovis in Saturday afternoon’s state-championship game at Leon Williams Stadium. “They...
