Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday signed the only piece of legislation passed during a fleeting special session last month, forgoing any line-item vetoes some lawmakers worried would occur as payback after lawmakers gave her public safety agenda a hard pass. But the two-term Democratic governor, who lambasted members of her own party for failing to even give her proposals a hearing before adjourning within five hours of gaveling in, made no secret of her displeasure. “The Legislature’s failure to prioritize public safety...
Greyhound Stadium and Greyhound Arena will soon have new names. Eastern New Mexico University officials on Monday announced the football stadium and basketball arena this fall will become the Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium and Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena, respectively. Changes are part of a naming rights agreement between ENMU and the Loy Foundation in exchange for the Loy family’s $2.5 million donation for university athletes and athletic programs. ENMU in June called the donation the “single largest gift in uni...
Roosevelt County’s former county manager, Amber Hamilton, has been elected to the New Mexico County Reinsurance Inc. Board of Directors. Santa Fe County Manager Gregory Shaffer was also elected to the board. While Hamilton’s last day as county manager was Friday, and she will be working for Plains Regional Medical Center, she will still serve on the board. NMCRe works closely with select New Mexico counties staff on matters of finance, claims and risk management....
The Clovis Curry County Chamber of Commerce has announced Ashley Furniture as its newest “Retail Rockstar.” Area residents are invited to the award presentation set for 10 a.m. Thursday at Ashley Furniture, 2500 N. Prince St., Clovis. Ashley Furniture was nominated for the honor by the previous winner, Brown’s Shoe Fit Co....
A Clovis man last week was sentenced to two years in jail for damaging the Curry County Detention Center. Damon Martinez, 41, along with other inmates, “broke off a heavy-duty towel rack and used it to create a hole through the cinderblock” in a cell, according to a news release from District Attorney Quentin Ray. “The hole was the size of a basketball when it was discovered … The hole led to an air vent that went directly to the roof,” according to the news release. Damages were reported at $900 from the incident that occu...
National Night Out is coming to Clovis’ Greene Acres Park from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Organizers see the event as one where people can “connect with your neighbors and join millions of others throughout the nation as they come together with their local police departments to promote police-community partnerships and neighborhood comradery.” Clovis Marketing and Events Coordinator Nicole Holcomb said Monday, “We currently have several agencies participating including: Clovis police, Clovis fire, state police, Curry C...
A woman and her son awaiting trial this fall for their alleged roles in a 2023 fatal dog attack in Tucumcari are back in jail. This time they’re accused of felony child abuse. Mary Montoya, 52, and her son Kristopher J. Morris, 28, both of Tucumcari, were arrested on warrants and charged on Thursday on one count each of intentional child abuse (no great bodily harm). The charge is a third-degree felony that could result in three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Magistrate Judge Noreen Hendrickson ordered Montoya and Morris...
A Mescalero couple is the subject of a federal investigation into a string of fires near Ruidoso, including June's devastating Salt Fire, which burned nearly 8,000 acres, according to a search warrant affidavit. The New Mexican is not naming the couple because neither individual has been charged. A spokeswoman for the FBI did not return a message seeking more information on the investigation. The Ruidoso area has been badly damaged by both the Salt Fire and the 17,000-acre...
Clovis Municipal Schools recently announced plans to sell the former Raintree grocery store near the roundabout in northeast Clovis. How much did CMS pay for that building, when was it purchased, why was it purchased and why is it now for sale? … Has the school used the building for anything since the purchase? … What is the timeline for selling the building and what is the district asking for it? In December 2021, Clovis Municipal Schools finalized the $2.87 million purchase of Raintree, according to Jay Brady, CMS dep...
A former Clovis police officer has been charged with drug trafficking and accessory to residential burglary. A warrant was issued Friday for the arrest of Frank Careri. “He is in Hawaii now,” said Andrea Reeb, a special prosecutor appointed to the case. He has been given “two weeks to turn himself in or we will extradite him” to New Mexico, Reeb said. According to a news release from the Clovis Police Department: Officers were investigating a burglary in February 2023 when a female “believed to have been involved with the...
The New Mexico Beef Council has hired a new executive director, Carollann Romo. According to a posting on the NMBC website, Romo will take over the role from Dina Chacon-Retizel who announced her retirement earlier this year after 36 years in the position. Romo is an agriculture professional with a decade of experience working in a variety of marketing roles. She lives in Albuquerque with her husband, dentist Elliott Romo, and their daughter. Romo grew up in southern California and earned a degree from the University of...
The New Mexico State Police announced its six-month tally of arrests, citations, inspections, seizures and more for the year so far. According to a NMSP news release, from Jan. 1 to June 30, State Police: • Made 4,686 arrests, 655 DWI arrests, and issued 82,808 traffic citations, including 4,262 for no seatbelt. • Performed 47,365 commercial motor vehicle inspections. • Seized 234 pounds of methamphetamine, 259 pounds of fentanyl, one gram of fentanyl powder, 146 pounds of cocaine, 80 grams of crack cocaine and 952 pound...
The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Department is investigating the early July 21 vehicular pedestrian death of 19-year-old Cruz Valdez south of Portales. Roosevelt County Sheriff Javier Sanchez wrote via text that sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of U.S. 70 and South Roosevelt Road U at 3:24 a.m. where the crash occurred. Investigators are waiting on toxicology results as part of their investigation....
A former Clovis police officer has been charged with drug trafficking and accessory to residential burglary. A warrant was issued Friday for the arrest of Frank Careri. “He is in Hawaii now,” said Andrea Reeb, a special prosecutor appointed to the case. He has been given “two weeks to turn himself in or we will extradite him” to New Mexico, Reeb said. According to a news release from the Clovis Police Department: Officers were investigating a burglary in February 2023 when a female “believed to have been involved with the...
A Portales teen has died after he was shot Sunday night in the 300 block of South Avenue E. Officials on Tuesday arrested a 16-year-old suspect and charged him with negligent manslaughter, tampering with evidence and unlawful possession of a firearm in connection with the death of Demariay Singleton. Singleton, 18, died “overnight” between Monday and Tuesday at Roosevelt General Hospital, District Attorney Quentin Ray said. Portales Police Chief Chris Williams said police were called to the 300 block of South Avenue E at 10:...
Beast Mode Powersports is hosting a “Bikes & Coffee” event from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday at First and Axtell streets, Clovis. According to a Facebook post, the business sees the event as “an ideal way to start your weekend.” The coffee will be “freshly brewed from Black Rifle Coffee Company.” The event is described as “free and open to all ages.” “Connect with fellow riders and motorcycle lovers in a relaxed, friendly environment,” the post reads....
It was a few weeks ago news came from the corporate headquarters of Walgreens pharmacies in Deerfield, Ill., and Big Lots in Columbus, Ohio, that they would be closing some of their stores. Both companies have locations in Clovis. A request for information from Walgreens media office was answered with an email statement from Megan Boyd, senior manager, Walgreens media relations: “Approximately 25% of Walgreens stores are not contributing to our long-term strategy. We’re finalizing an optimization program that we expect wil...
Curry County has been selected as one of 10 rural counties to be a part of the National Association of Counties new Rural Leaders for Economic Mobility program. According to a Curry County news release, RLEM is a national program that teams county elected officials and non-elected county leaders to pursue effective strategies to improve economic mobility conditions that move individuals and families out of poverty. County Commissioner Seth Martin and County Community Services Administrator Kristian Price represent the team...
Xcel Energy is seeking proposals for a major expansion of its Texas-New Mexico power generating system as older power plants are retired in the coming years. According to a news release from Xcel Energy spokesman Wes Reeves, another issue is electricity demand is forecast to increase to meet the needs of a growing regional economy. “We have served this region for more than 100 years, and we have a strong history of investing in power generating resources to sustain the growth of our communities and key industries,” Xcel Energ...
Roosevelt County has reached an agreement with Portales native and longtime Elida schools business manager Annette Kirk to be the next county manager. Commissioners agreed to offer her the job on Tuesday after rescinding their offer to Gowan Hays. Commission Chair Tina Dixon said she negotiated the deal with Kirk, who will begin her new duties on Aug. 12. Dixon said the county will pay Kirk $105,000 annually, the same as they had offered Hays. Dixon said “minor details” were the reason Hays gave for declining the pos...
BNSF will be closing the railroad crossing at U.S. 60/84 and North Roosevelt Road AV from July 28 through July 30, according to a news release from Roosevelt County. The crossing will close at 7 a.m. July 28 and reopen after 5 p.m. on July 30, the release stated. Contractor RoadSafe will provide traffic control....
A 31-year-old Clovis woman has been sentenced to 1 ½ years in prison for the battery of a peace officer, according to District Attorney Quentin Ray. On May 12, 2023, officers with the Clovis Police Department placed Cheryl Yazzie under arrest for concealing identity and placed her in the back seat of a patrol car, according to a news release from Ray. Yazzie began kicking the windows, so an officer opened the door to the car and told her to stop kicking. Yazzie then kicked the officer in the head, the release stated. Judge...
The Portales woman with Alzheimer’s, missing since July 13, was found dead late Wednesday morning, Roosevelt County Sheriff Javier Sanchez said. “Family members … located her on the opposite side of the railroad tracks from (U.S.) 70. It’s like a little ditch area,” Sanchez said. Mary Stinnett, 58, was found “relatively near where she was last seen,” the sheriff said. Sanchez said searchers flew a drone over the area several times but had no luck locating Stinnett. The sheriff said he did not immediately have any additiona...
A Portales woman, missing since Saturday, remained missing early this week. The case of Mary Stinnett, 58, who has early Alzheimer’s Disease, came to the attention of Roosevelt County Sheriff Javier Sanchez and his department when officers were called to a county property Saturday regarding alleged trespassers. “They weren’t trespassers, they were members of Mary Stinnett’s family looking for her,” Sanchez said Monday. “This is not the first time she has wandered off,” Sanch...
Portales police are investigating the early Monday shooting death of 51-year-old Benigno Castillo. No arrests had been made as of Tuesday morning, District Attorney Quentin Ray said. It was the region’s first shooting death since two Texico women were slain in Ned Houk Park on May 3. A suspect was arrested in that case two days later. Portales officers at 3:24 a.m. Monday responded to a 911 call in the area of West Kaywood Street and North Avenue B, according to a police news release. Upon arrival, officers found Castillo, w...