Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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A construction contractor cut into a 4-inch gas distribution line Thursday afternoon, sending a “rotten egg smell” into the air between Main and Mitchell streets in downtown Clovis. “There was a lot of response -- people reporting the smell of gas, which is what’s supposed to happen,” said Tim Korte, a spokesman for New Mexico Gas. Co. The compromise happened at 3:24 p.m., Korte said, and the gas company stopped the leak at 4:10 p.m. Three downtown businesses temporarily lost service, Korte said. No injuries were reported.... Full story
After six years at the helm of the state's Republican Party, Steve Pearce is optimistic the groundwork has been laid for New Mexico to turn red after nearly a decade of Democratic dominance. But with Pearce set to step down from his role as state GOP chairman, not all Republicans are sad to see him go. While President-elect Donald Trump won more votes in New Mexico during this year's election than he did in his 2016 or 2020 campaigns, no Republican presidential candidate has...
On this date … 1946: Lloyd Jordan and Don Litchfield had been named captains of the 1947 Clovis High School football team. Coach Bill Gibson made the announcement at the annual football banquet. Also at the banquet, John Fila had been presented the Holmberg Award, symbolic of the most outstanding football player on the squad. The award, given by Wildcat supporter and jewelry store owner A.A. Holmberg, was a 14-carat solid gold miniature football. Attitude, ability and sportsmanship were the primary factors considered in s...
Clovis Community College has more fall graduates this year than in 2023. The news came from CCC President Jonathan Fuentes to the college’s Board of Trustees on Wednesday at their regular December meeting. Fuentes called on Dean of Student Services Marcus Smith to speak of the specific numbers: 79 associates degrees, 93 certificates of completion and 137 certificates of achievement. “We’ll have 309 graduates, up from 238 last fall,” Smith said. With no ceremony planned for the fall for the graduates they are invited to be i...
Clovis City commissioners on Thursday voted to end Clovis Area Transit System service to Portales. The matter was passed unanimously as a consent agenda item at the Commission’s first meeting of December. The request to end the route was brought before the Commission on the agenda by CATS Director Garry Johnson. According to an elaboration in the Commission’s agenda packet, the service was initially a pilot program started by Senior Services to transport dialysis patients from Portales to Clovis and back to Portales. Sen...
Eastern New Mexico University swept a pair of Lone Star Conference basketball games against Oklahoma Christian on Thursday night at the Loy Family Foundation Arena. The ENMU women dropped the Eagles, 84-48, improving their season's record to 7-1. They are 2-0 in LSC play. The Greyhound men beat Oklahoma Christian, 91-68. The Greyhounds improved to 5-2 for the year, 1-1 in the conference. Ishuana Hunter led the ENMU women with 20 points, four steals and three rebounds, coming...
The Curry County Health Council has bicycle helmets available for school-aged children, it announced Friday in a news release. “Bicycle helmets include sizes extra small, small/medium, and large/x-large. The bicycle helmets will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis, beginning (Tuesday) and continuing until all bicycle helmets are distributed,” the release stated. The helmets can be picked up at the Curry County Administration Complex at 417 Gidding Street, Suite 100. Office hours are 8 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to...
A Clovis grand jury on Friday determined two teenage boys can be tried as adults in connection with the Nov. 14 slaying of a Clovis man in the Hilltop Plaza parking lot. The grand jury returned indictments against Jacob Garcia and Gustavo Herrera, both 16, said prosecutor Jake Boazman. Both are accused of murder, kidnapping, armed robbery and conspiracy to commit armed robbery. Herrera is also charged with tampering with evidence. If convicted and sentenced as adults the teens could each spend the rest of their lives in...
Curry County Association of Educational Retirees A meeting of the Curry County Association of Educational Retirees was held Dec. 3 at K-Bob’s Restaurant. The program featured the Clovis High School Chamber, under the direction of Tami Martin. The Chamber is composed of juniors and seniors who have auditioned for their positions. They performed two traditional numbers and two new songs, to the delight of the audience. CCAER meets the first Tuesday of the month at K-Bob’s Restaurant at 11 a.m. for lunch, 11:30 a.m. for the mee...
Among the numerous economic policy areas that hold New Mexico back is its heavy regulatory burden. Unnecessarily heavy regulations on business can make it harder than necessary to start and grow a business in New Mexico. The good news is that at least some regulatory reforms show real potential for bipartisanship in Santa Fe. New Mexico could (and should) take a step toward regulatory reform by embracing what are known as “regulatory sandboxes.” In 2023 Albuquerque Dem...
There have been some interesting discussions about birthright citizenship, intensified by Donald Trump’s election a few weeks ago. A number of people who are angry at the chaos at the border have jumped right over the normal processes and procedures that would guarantee illegal border crossings are limited, and hit right at one of the core principles of our nation, one embedded in the 14th Amendment – if you are born here, regardless of the status of your parents, you are a U...
Thanksgiving is our second-most conflicted holiday, behind only Memorial Day, when we somberly honor those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country by pounding 24-ouncers at the backyard barbecue celebrating the three-day weekend. During this season of Thanksgiving, we humbly express our gratitude for the mashed potatoes, green beans, turkey and pie we’re about to eat, then rush to the stores and body check an 84-year-old grandmother into the dress rack to be first in line for the latest hot, new gizmo. That process u...
Tbilisi is the capitol of Georgia. Not where the Atlanta Falcons play, the European country. Along the same line, Bucharest is the capitol of Romania. These countries recently held elections. Both countries’ elected leaders who are not enamored with the European Union and their current leaders are not happy. Georgia has suspended its bid to seek membership in the EU and, as a result, finds the capitol, Tbilisi, in the midst of riots. Current President Salome Zourabichvili, w...
President Biden was right to pardon his son, Hunter, after his conviction on gun and drug charges. Where President Biden went wrong was when he then failed to pardon everyone else who has been convicted on similar charges. People are sitting in prison today for the same acts. All such charges are bogus, regardless of who is facing them. Everyone entangled in the justice system because of similar charges is a political prisoner. America is apparently trying to beat the old...
The winter holidays can be a wondrous time for us, but they can be difficult for our companion animals to handle and adapt to the chaos and change in routine. Training specific behaviors like mat-stay, sit-stay for greeting people, and general manners are important. If behaviors like these are not already in you and your animal’s repertoire, some simple management tips can help save the day. Here are some tricks to make this holiday season more seamless and stress-free for your pets, yourself and your visitors. 1. Provide p...
Portales City Council approved a cannabis manufacturing business in the city at Tuesday’s regular council meeting. Enchanted Desert Farm, located at 1301 S. Avenue D, is owned by Sam Viscaino. Viscaino gave a presentation and he took questions. The vote to approve was 5 to 3. Contacted after the meeting, Viscaino said he hung around after the session to query councilors Veronica Cordova, Preston Elkins and Eldon Merrick, who voted against his proposal. Viscaino said he talked to all three councilors. Viscaino said Elkins a...
The Ten Commandments are on the lawn of the Curry County Courthouse. When were these put there? What about “the separation of church and state? The monument on the Curry County Courthouse lawn was erected July 15, 1967. According to a November 2003 Clovis News Journal article by the late Gary Mitchell, the monument was presented to the city of Clovis by the State Council of the Fraternal Order of Eagles. “The Clovis display, which stands 6-feet tall with two Stars of David at each bottom corner and miniature stone tab...
Eastern New Mexico University’s fall graduation ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday at the Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena. Associate Professor of Criminal Justice Omar Camarillo will give the commencement address, according to a university news release. “Turning Obstacles into Opportunity” will stress the importance of turning setbacks into opportunities and highlighting the importance of resiliency in overcoming adversity. The release stated 404 students are expected to graduate this fall semester, with 233 earni...
I ran across a printed list last week that claims to be a guide to cleaning one’s home, sorted by frequency of how often particular tasks should be tackled. The categories in this list included “every day,” “every week,” “every month,” “every three to six months,” and “every year.” Nowhere did I see my category of choice: “When company is coming.” I’m not saying I don’t do some of the things on the list on a fairly regular basis, like making beds and washing dishes. But I can...
Embezzlement allegations against the Eastern New Mexico University rodeo coach were not heard by a grand jury on Friday as had been scheduled. Albert Flinn, 83, was charged last month with two counts of embezzlement (under $20,000) and one count of cruelty to animals. Prosecutor Quentin Ray and Flinn’s attorney, Tye Harmon of Clovis, both said they are trying to reach an agreement prior to the criminal case going forward. “We canceled the grand jury … Depends on what information Tye has on how we move forward,” Ray stated...
Almost two years after allegations of a sex abuse scandal rocked the Eastern New Mexico University Portales campus, the resulting lawsuit lingers in federal court. And it appears it won’t be going to trial anytime soon. The civil suit filed in April 2023 by three starters for the women’s basketball team accuses ENMU of failing to act on their repeated complaints of sexual abuse they alleged by Glen De Los Reyes, husband of then-women’s basketball coach Meghan De Los Reyes. Former Director of Athletics Paul Weir is also named...
A Roosevelt County resident was arrested Wednesday and charged with leaving the scene of an accident that resulted in a death. Court records show Fredy Portillo, 31, was believed to be driving a silver Chevrolet pickup that collided head-on with a gray Nissan sport utility vehicle at the intersection of State Road 267 and South Roosevelt Road V on Tuesday night. The driver of the Nissan, identified as Rayleen Vasquez, 22, of Santa Rosa, died at the scene, records show. Witnesses said the pickup’s driver was seen leaving t...
Roosevelt County commissioners on Tuesday voted 3-2 to not pay the New Mexico Land Office about $40,000 for county roads that traverse state owned lands in Roosevelt County. Discussion on the matter took up a significant portion of the meeting. Officials with the NM Land Office appeared at the county’s Sept. 10 meeting seeking what was described as a “long overdue” solution to the issue. State officials, alleging the county owes it more than $693,000, told commissioners the Land Office would accept a one-time payment of $4...
Clovis police on Tuesday announced they’re investigating the death of a toddler that occurred last month. A police news release stated officials were notified Nov. 27 that a 12-month-old boy had been transported to Plains Regional Medical Center by ambulance. On arrival, Calian Skywater “was not breathing and live-saving measures were unsuccessful,” the release stated. Police said the child had bruising to his forehead and face. “When asked about the injuries, the mother explained that Calian had fallen three days prior,... Full story
A mobile home in the 1300 block of Hickory Street was lost to fire late Monday night, Clovis Deputy Fire Chief Terrance Lizardo said. One woman lived alone in the home with several pets. The woman was not at home when the fire started, but “a dog and some cats” died in the blaze, Lizardo said. A few other pets were able to escape without injury, he said. The Red Cross was on the scene early Tuesday morning to help the woman with temporary accommodations. Lizardo said officials were able to determine the cause of the fire was...
