Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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The former longtime leader of a Baptist church-affiliated children’s home in Portales and a Clovis contractor are both facing criminal charges in connection with an alleged scheme that police believe allowed them to bilk the charity of over $1 million over several years. David Randall “Randy” Rankin, 71, executive director of New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home for more than a decade, is charged with 28 felony counts of fraud, one of forgery and one of disposing of stolen...
On this date … 1948: Gambles department store had arranged for every Clovis child to write a letter to Santa Claus and receive a hand-written response. A special mailbox in Gambles guaranteed that letters would reach the “dear old gentleman at the North Pole.” 1961: New Barcaloungers had arrived at Home Beautiful Furniture & Carpet Co., just in time for Christmas. No down payment was required and there was no first payment until March 1. The store was at 824 Main in Clovis. 1961: About 2,300 fans turned out to watch Easte...
Named after the Greek god of war Kratos, this 1-year-old pit mix is the most passionate dog the Portales shelter has had in some time, said a shelter worker. They said despite his ominous name, he is playful and loves to lick everyone he sees. Kratos will be available for adoption on Wednesday at the Portales Animal Shelter....
With cold weather creeping in for the winter season, eastern New Mexico residents are acquiring flu and covid vaccinations before the holiday break. High Plains Humane Society wants to remind pet owners that their furry companions are going to need some protection this year as well. High Plains will be hosting a free vaccine clinic from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, to help provide affordable care to families. Linda Cross, president of High Plains, said the organization’s goal is to ensure every pet is protected from deadly i...
Booked The following were booked into local jails (Tuesday - Friday): Clovis • Joshua Windle, 41, probation violation, aggravated battery against a household member • Michael Hutchinson, 31, probation violation • Eric Mims, 59, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge, possession of a controlled substance, bringing contraband into jail • Jose Lopez, 46, false statement and fraud, contracting without a license, attempted to evade or defeat tax, fraud • Anthony Aguiniga, 59, probation violation, failure to comply with specific...
Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Richard Gomez is the executive director for the Lighthouse Mission in Clovis. Q: Can you explain first what all the Lighthouse Mission does? A: We are a soup kitchen, we are a clothing bank, and a furniture bank. We're a homeless shelter for men, women and families. We have a program for men and women for drug and alcohol recovery and that's a six-month program. Q: Is it possible for you to p...
A road project is scheduled Monday and Tuesday on Curry Road 13 between New Mexico 311 and Curry Road S, according to notice provided by Southland Contracting. Traffic will be closed on the road going east and westbound and detours will be in place before construction begins to route traffic to Curry Road 12 and around to Curry Road S, the notice stated....
The Clovis Municipal Schools Education Foundation last week announced it is awarding $28,279 in teacher grants to nine schools this year. The Foundation Grants program is designed to encourage, facilitate, recognize, and reward innovative and creative instructional approaches to the accomplishment of classroom program objectives, the Foundation stated in a news release. “The idea is to provide additional funds for those projects not covered by conventional funding.” Here are the grant winners: Arts Academy at Bella Vista $2,...
Parkland Baptist Church in Clovis is again participating in the Operation Christmas Child project. Samaritan’s Purse sponsors the project, which is celebrating its 30th year. “From children to seniors, people pack shoebox gifts each year to bless children in need around the world,” according to the Samaritan’s Purse website. “Parents often use the project to teach their kids about giving. Year-round volunteers support these efforts across the country.” The project expects to achieve its 200 millionth shoe box donation th...
The Clovis man who fatally shot a dog he said was “aggressively barking” at his dogs has been charged with extreme cruelty to animals, court records show. District Attorney Quentin Ray said Bradley Pearson faces a fourth-degree felony charge, punishable up to 18 months in jail and a $5,000 fine. Ray said Pearson will be summoned to court to answer the charge. Court records show Pearson told police on Nov. 1 that he shot a Labrador retriever after it barked at his dogs in the front yard and then in the alley behind his hou...
The father of a Texico baby who died from blunt force trauma in April 2021 pleaded guilty last week to the charge of abandonment of a child resulting in death. Christian Alonzo, 20 at the time of the 4-month-old girl’s death, was sentenced last week to 15 years in prison by District Judge Fred Van Soelen. According to a news release from District Attorney Quentin Ray: On April 26, 2021, officers with the Texico Police Department responded to the child’s home where they found her unresponsive. Officers learned the child had...
After more than a dozen years, Karl Terry plans to retire soon as the executive director at the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce. Terry told the News he has announced his plans to the board of directors but wants them to have plenty of time to select his successor. Chamber board member Eldon Merrick said Terry will be missed and his efforts with the Chamber will not be forgotten. “I have known Karl for many years. Karl has been a great asset to Roosevelt County and has been a stellar supporter of business in Portales d...
Today *Free vaccine clinic for healthy dogs – 9 a.m.-3 p.m., High Plains Humane Society, 608 W. 21st St., Clovis. Offering free distemper/parvo and rabies shots; microchips available for $15 suggested donation. Drive-up clinic; keep dogs in car until their turn; dogs must be on leash. If assistance is needed for dog transportation, contact [email protected] or call 317-294-2551 to arrange services. Payments/donations may be made with cash app, Venmo or Square. No appointments necessary *Blood drive — 9:30 a.m.-1 p.m...
A Fort Sumner man last week pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in connection with the May 2021 death of 16-year-old Ricardo Gonzales. Xavier Lucero, 18 at the time of the incident, was sentenced to 15 years in prison by District Judge Fred Van Soelen. According to a news release from District Attorney Quentin Ray, the incident began after five teenage boys had been at a party south of Brady Street in Clovis. After an argument resulted in a fist fight, the five boys left...
The 2023 Little Miss Merry Christmas candidates have been announced by the ambassadors of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce. This year’s field includes eight girls from ages 5-10 vying for the title. As a part of Portales’ holiday tradition, the Little Miss Merry Christmas Contest raises funds for Christmas lighting programs and the Portales Fireworks Fund. The contest runs until 5 p.m. Nov. 29. An official pre-parade coronation ceremony is scheduled for 6 p.m. Nov. 30 at the Yam Theatre, 219 S. Main in Portales. The...
Esports is a good example of what’s wrong with our world today and what the schools are doing right about it. In case you haven’t heard of it, at the middle and high school levels, esports is basically video gaming as a competitive team. Some call it a “mind sport” along the lines of a board or card game, taking its place as one of many “cybersports” online. Regardless of how you cast it, esports is growing in popularity in schools around the country. In 2019, the New Mexico Activities Association sanctioned esports as...
My simplistic, childlike worldview was changed forever a few days after the horrific murders of 11 Israeli athletes by the Palestinian group Black September during the 1972 Olympics in Munich, Germany. Two of my great loves as a kid were sports and stories. And so, I especially loved stories about sports. One of my favorites was the one about warring kings in Ancient Greece who laid down their arms and called for a temporary truce during the Olympics. That truce assured safe passage for athletes traveling to and from the...
Nov. 11 was Armistice Day, a day designated to honor those lost in the Great War, or the “war to end all wars.” Would that it was so. Armistice Day became Veterans Day in 1954 and honors those who serve or served in all branches of the U.S. military. My heartfelt thanks to all who served and continue to serve in the military forces of our country. Nov. 10 was the 248th birthday of the U.S. Marines, and I would be remiss if I did not say to Marines everywhere, “To all who s...
Initially I said to myself, this is not my battle. But then I watched, in horror, as people marched through the streets of Philadelphia chanting the genocidal slogan of the Palestinian people: “From the River to the Sea, Palestine Will Be Free.” Translation: Kill the Jews, push them into the river, keep faith with the ancestors and their desperate attempts at a final solution. In fact, I heard the words “solution” used in exactly that context by young students of all races a...
All sides that don’t prioritize liberty are the same. Excuses don’t matter. If you’re angry about the other side doing something that violates liberty, but you justify your side violating liberty in some other way, you’re not helping. It’s not Democrat vs. Republican, nor “Left vs. “Right.” It comes down to liberty vs slavery. It may be “slavery-light” instead of what you’ve been trained to consider slavery, but is gentle slavery better? Most people are so motivated to find...
In a state often lacking statesmanship, two crime-fighters are emerging who are giving us hope. Listening to Bernalillo County District Attorney Sam Bregman and Attorney General Raúl Torrez talk about crime, you wouldn’t know they’re Democrats. Or Republicans, or independents or anything else for that matter. Few New Mexicans outside law enforcement likely knew that police officers had been prosecuting shoplifting cases in Albuquerque’s Metropolitan Court. And their conviction rates were abysmal, only about 15%. Bregman said...
Two Roosevelt County Detention Center officers have been arrested for bringing contraband to inmates at the detention center, court records show. Officer Daejon Rae Coronado, 20, and Heather Brockman, 34, were reported by Lt. Danion Rich for bringing contraband to the jail. Video footage shows Coronado delivering contraband to inmate Dylan Hendren, records show. According to court documents: The investigation led to a subsequent shakedown of Hendren’s room and bunk, where RCDC officers found two syringes and suspected s...
A double dose of family friendly fun is in store for eastern New Mexico theater goers this weekend. Eastern New Mexico University’s Department of Theatre and Digital Filmmaking kicks off the action at 7 p.m. Thursday with its opening night performance of “Bunnicula,” accurately billed as a musical for the whole family. You may be familiar with the lighthearted Bunnicula books by Deborah and James Howe, the first of which was published more than 40 years ago. The musical featu...
Where do I go to get flu and covid shots? What does it cost? “Roden Smith Pharmacy and Plains Regional Medical Center Pharmacy are offering the shots as long as they have the vaccine in stock,” J. D. Jones said. Jones is Community Impact associate with the United Way of Eastern New Mexico. Jones said if people who want the shots don’t have insurance they may go to the New Mexico Department of Health offices in Clovis and Portales. Jones added the office in Clovis is at 1216 Cameo St. In Portales, it’s at 1513 W. Fir St. “As...
Portales voters on Tuesday were pretty clear: They're looking for new leadership on the City Council. Challengers handily won both of the contested elections and a third new member ran unopposed. Eldon Merrick defeated Chadrick Heflin, 293 votes to 90 in Ward C. Rustin Self beat Daniel Boan, 191 to 76 in Ward B. Ward D councilor Jim Lucero did not seek re-election. Michael Rackler ran unopposed for the seat. Portales City Manager Sarah Austin summarized the results as...
