Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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Editor's note: The coronavirus pandemic has changed our world in ways most of us could never have imagined. The Eastern New Mexico News is reflecting those changes in a series of stories and photos that will continue until the return of a relative normal. You've wiped down the car-door handles and the steering wheel and you're ready to take that trip to the grocery store. Then you look down and see that one of your tires is flat. It's a good thing tire stores are classified "e... Full story
The New Mexico Department of Health delivered an update on the COVID-19 pandemic Tuesday afternoon, reporting 315 positive tests in the state and a fifth death from the virus. So far, there are 26 people designated as recovered from COVID-19. The 35 new positive cases come from Bernalillo, McKinley, Rio Arriba, San Juan, Sandoval, Santa Fe and Taos counties. The death was a Bernalillo County male in his 40s. He died Sunday and was found unresponsive at his home, and a positive test result came back Tuesday. The man had an... Full story
More than two dozen county clerks in New Mexico — including two in eastern New Mexico — have asked the state Supreme Court for an order that would allow the June 2 primary be conducted by mail. But on Tuesday, the Republican Party of New Mexico and the House and Senate Caucuses filed a lawsuit in the New Mexico Supreme Court to block those efforts. The clerks said they face an impossible choice — putting voters’ and election workers’ lives at risk or violating their oath of office — if they host an in-person election. ... Full story
Like most humans with a few years on them, I’ve had an occasion or a few (not too terribly many) to mention to the Lord that, in this distress or that difficulty, I have at least two requests. Jesus did, after all, teach us to ask, so I do. First, I’d much prefer to avoid the mess altogether. What I have in mind is not “strength to get through” this or that tough thing. I’d prefer a nice pass to get around it; I really don’t want “through” it. Second, if I must go through the...
These are the moments that define us. We’re all doing the best we can navigating our way through this new normal of “shelter-at-home.” It’s an uncertain time, and that can be pretty nerve wracking and unsettling. The stories and statistics change daily, if not hourly. People are unsure of jobs, of the availability of grocery items, of the ability to get the things they need daily for their families. Students are worried about finishing school online, and adminis... Full story
I collect historical tidbits that interest me from area newspapers. Here are a few from Aprils past: • April 3, 1945: Bill Vance of Portales announced his dog, Buzz, had been poisoned. Vance said he would pay a $25 reward if someone could identify the perpetrator. Two other dogs had also been recently poisoned in Portales, including “the dog of the little crippled children of the Colby family.” • April 6, 1955: The Lilac Park Cafe, on U.S. 70 near Eastern New Mexico University, had new owners. Mr. and Mrs. Bill Walker, former...
A disclaimer: This is not a column about viruses, nor is this an April Fools' joke. We have more than enough about the former, and I've never been a fan of the latter. Instead, I invite you to lace up a pair of virtual walking shoes and join me on a morning stroll. It's been an exceptionally beautiful spring. Remember the good rains we had right before frost in the fall? Those, plus the unusual March showers, have ushered in early green grass. Over there ... in the top of...
When we college seniors think back to Jan. 1, we were anxious and excited for our last semester. We’d worked so hard for everything; all the tears, struggles, and late nights had finally paid off and we were only months away from walking that stage to receive our diploma. Then, the unthinkable happened. Spring break was extended, classes were transitioned to online, and we were suddenly forced to move out of our dorms and return home because of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Life at this moment seems like a blur and I c... Full story
On March 4, 1933, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt uttered these famous words: “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” This was the president’s attempt to reassure Americans they had it within themselves to defeat the Great Depression — if they did not succumb to fear that would prevent them from acting to end hard times. They are truer words today. Of course there is a fear as our communities face an invisible enemy. COVID-19 is everywhere and has no respecter of whom it attacks. Our schools are closed to prev...
The past two weeks have definitely been the most unusual we’ve ever experienced. Week before last we were hanging on every word we heard; every piece of news, every update — both nationally and internationally; both from the governor’s office as well as the Public Education Department of New Mexico — to learn the latest, to see what would come to pass. Hasty meetings were called; breakout sessions formed, constant conversations and speculations occupied us, and we at Clovis... Full story
I’m not happy with the petty tyrants who have done away with any pretense of respecting the rights of Americans. They are using this pandemic as an excuse to twist the police state tighter around our necks. I’m angry about it. I’m not generally an angry person, but violating the life, liberty, or property of my fellow humans will make me angry every time. I don’t care how necessary they pretend it is. I will not comply when their orders conflict with liberty, nor will I tattle...
As we attempt to face this coronavirus crisis collectively, we're handicapped by a loss of trust in our institutions. Many if not most Americans no longer believe in our government, our leaders, the media, our churches, science and even our charitable causes and democratic processes. These days they're all tainted, sometimes by harsh realities and facts, other times by accepted falsehoods and exaggerations. See how many of these statements you agree with: Our Congress places party politics over the national interest. The pres...
PORTALES — The Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico is partnering with Los Abuelitos de La Casa Senior Center for a Friday drive-through food distribution. The distribution will be 10 a.m.-2 p.m., or until supplies run out, at 1515 W. Fir. Clients must be New Mexico residents, complete an application, provide proof of name and address and agree they meet income eligibility requirements. Anybody currently receiving SNAP, WIC or Commodity Supplemental Food Program benefits qualify. Clients are asked to enter from Avenue O into t... Full story
CLOVIS - COVID-19 has altered life. And perhaps how we choose to live our everyday lives, how we choose to relax and spend our down time, were aspects of life that were most taken for granted. Something as simple as being able to lounge in a coffee house was a part of life nobody ever thought would be snatched away. But it has been due to coronavirus restrictions designed to prevent too many people from gathering. Blackwater Coffee Co. in Clovis has been able to remain open... Full story
A key New Mexico lawmaker on budgetary matters said state revenue could fall short of projections by $1.5 billion to $2 billion amid the COVID-19 pandemic and low oil prices — a bigger hole than legislators anticipated just two weeks ago. Sen. John Arthur Smith, the influential chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, gave that range Monday as the potential hit to state revenue for next fiscal year, noting oil prices have continued to fall and the outlook for tax revenue worsens. He had previously suggested the revenue h... Full story
PORTALES - Effective Monday morning, Roosevelt General Hospital established new screening procedures for visitors in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Hospital staff is manning a screening center at the entrance, and RGH has discontinued walk-in extended clinic services until further notice. Anybody experiencing symptoms they believe to be COVID-19 are asked to call a hospital hotline at 575-356-9292 to discuss symptoms. Jeanette Orrantia, RGH's director of marketing,... Full story
School districts across eastern New Mexico have worked over the last few days on learn-at-home models, following a Public Education Department decision to close schools for the remainder of the school year. The following includes highlights of communications sent to parents of students at Clovis and Portales schools. Clovis schools The district is distributing Chromebooks to district students this week, with details at: clovis-schools.org The goal is to resume instruction by April 8 at the latest. • All school facilities a... Full story
The number of positive coronavirus cases in New Mexico neared 300 and the virus’ death total reached four in the state, health officials said on Monday. The most recent deaths were a woman in her 90s and a woman in her 70s. Both died Monday in Bernalillo County, officials said. Both had an underlying medical condition. Officials said 281 people had tested positive for the virus in New Mexico. On March 23, that total was 83. Officials did not release information on the most recent Curry County residents reported as having t... Full story
Booked The following were booked into local jails (Friday-Tuesday): Clovis ∞ Jose Escoto, 47, concealing identity ∞ Onesimus Skywater, 28, driving while license suspended or revoked, no proof of insurance, failure to obey traffic control devices ∞ Jorge Ordonez, 25, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge ∞ Gilberto Anaya, 19, theft of identity, forgery ∞ Joshua Martinez, 42, failure to pay fines, concealing identity, burglary of a vehicle, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana ∞ Elias Suniga, 51, dialing...
County approves loan for new jail FORT SUMNER — The De Baca County Commission on March 23 approved a resolution for financing of a new county jail. On a 2-1 vote, the commission approved a resolution to borrow $2,726,361 for construction of the 39-bed facility. Commissioners Scot Stinnett and Bill Wertheim voted in favor of the resolution, while commissioner Joe Steele opposed. Steele said he opposed the plan because he felt the debt would “hang on the necks of county commissioners for 30 years.” — De Baca County News Ca...
PORTALES — A door closed on Portales’ Jim Lucero late in February. Less than a month later, a new door opened on the square. Lucero, recently laid off as plant manager for Ready Roast following its acquisition by Hampton Farms, is staying in Portales as executive director of the Roosevelt County Community Development Corporation. He replaces Bill Hendrickson, who is returning to his former residence in Las Vegas, New Mexico. “It just happened to be good timing on my part, I guess lucky timing when Ready Roast sold,” Lucero...
Meetings are subject to change due to coronavirus concerns Thursday • Clovis City Commission — 5:15 p.m., North Annex, Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main St., Clovis. Will be streamed on Facebook at City of Clovis, NM, and on www.cityofclovis.org. Information: 575-763-9654 Tuesday • Roosevelt County Commission — 9 a.m., Commission Room, Roosevelt County Courthouse, 109 W. First St., Portales. Information: 575-356-5307 • Clovis Community College Board of Trustees study session — 11:30 a.m., CCC, 417 Schepps Blvd., Room...
On this date ... 1970: A district judge ruled a pair of Eastern New Mexico University students would be permitted to inspect pending faculty contracts and salaries. Ernest Sanchez of Clovis, editor of the university newspaper, and Arthur Dula, an ENMU student, took the university’s board of regents to court after being denied access to the records. The regents argued the list “was only a memorandum and was not an official record and that until the faculty contracts had been signed, they were not subject to inspection,” the C...
April 8 • Blood drive — 9 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Bloodmobile, Roosevelt General Hospital, 42121 Highway 70, Portales. Register online at http://www.bloodhero.com. Information: 877-258-4825 April 10 • Blood drive — 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Bloodmobile, Clovis Public Health Office, 1216 Cameo, Clovis. Register online at http://www.bloodhero.com. Information: 877-258-4825 April 15 • Blood drive — 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m., Cannon Room, Plains Regional Medical Center, 2100 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Clovis. Register online at http://www....
CLOVIS - The new Clovis City Commission will have a liquor license issue to resolve and a healthcare emergency to consider when it meets for the first time with a new mayor and two new commissioners Thursday. The meeting, due to state restrictions on attendees at gatherings, will be broadcast on Suddenlink Channel 10, online at cityofclovis.org and facebook.com/cityofclovis. It begins at 5:15 p.m. Anybody with questions or comments can call 575-763-9200 during the meeting....
