Events kick off new year

By Kurt Munz-Raper

STAFF WRITER

[email protected]

The new year brings with it exciting events and projects in the first quarter, according to chamber and MainStreet officials.

Kicking off the year's events in Clovis is the first Business to Business (B2B) Expo Jan. 12, Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ernie Kos said.

The event allows business owners to connect with each other and share ideas, according to the chamber's newsletter. Those interested can register for free at b2b.clovisrocks.com or by calling 575-763-3435.

Events also include the Travis Tritt concert at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Curry County Events Center.

Tickets, which are $27.75, $37.75 or $75, are available at the center or at curryeventscenter.com and 575-935-7000, according to the chamber newsletter.

The chamber will also host their annual Chamber Banquet at 6 p.m. Jan. 20 at the Clovis Civic Center, as well as the 2017 Legislative Dinner on Jan. 23 at Hotel Santa Fe in Santa Fe.

"We will probably have somewhere between 120 community leaders, and legislators that represent Clovis and Portales will be there," said Kos. "It gives us an opportunity to show our appreciation."

Members can purchase tickets to attend the legislative dinner at dinner.clovisrocks.com, but must also make reservations at Hotel Santa Fe by calling 505-982-1200 and asking for the Clovis/Portales block by Jan. 6. Tickets are $75 each.

Those interested in attending the chamber banquet can register at banquet.clovisrocks.com. Tickets are $45 each or $450 for a table for 10. Deadline for registration is Jan. 13.

Events in Clovis will also honor Martin Luther King Jr., as the MLK Jr. Commission celebrates their 25th anniversary with the theme "Remember! Celebrate! Act! King's Legacy of Peace with Justice for Our World," Commission President Joyce Pollard said.

Events include a scholarship breakfast at 9 a.m. Jan. 14 at the Clovis High School cafeteria, with Pastor Samuel Cosby of Houston, Texas speaking.

"It's informative. We're trying to learn as much as possible by learning and following his (King's) ideas," said Pollard. "We just want to keep the dream alive in a positive way."

Tickets for the breakfast are $10 for adults and $6 for students 12 and under. Pollard said all schools participate in a speech, art and essay contest for the commemoration.

The symbolic walk starts at 9 a.m. Jan. 16 at Potter Park, Pollard said, with Pastor B.J. Choice, founder of the MLK Jr. Commission, speaking for the event.

She added stops will be made at Lincoln Jackson Family Center and the Roy S. Walker Recreation Center before concluding at Legacy Life Church.

The commission also awards scholarships to high school students with a grade point average of 2.5 or higher in April. The commission is selling tiles at $25 each to raise money for the scholarships.

Constance Williams, second vice president of the commission, said people can purchase the tiles and include any logo and dedication. The tiles will then be made by a local artist to display by the memorials of King and Coretta Scott King in Potter Park.

Those interested in purchasing tiles can contact Williams at 575-777-4721 or Treasurer Christine Dudley at 575-763-7587.

The non-profit Clovis MainStreet also preparing for an eventful year, which includes the annual Mayor's Ball.

Colonial Real Estate Owner and former Clovis mayor Gayla Brumfield said the event raised over $125,000 for local charities since the event started in 2008. So far, Clovis MainStreet and the High Plains Humane Society will participate.

"We just want everybody to come out. We want it to be a huge event," said Brumfield, who will co-host the event with Mayor David Lansford.

The date, prices and location have yet to be finalized, Brumfield said, adding Hotel Clovis may be a possible location.

Clovis MainStreet Director Lisa Pellegrino-Spear said the program is preparing for some exciting projects, adding specific dates are yet to be finalized.

Projects include breaking ground with the new railroad park in February in front of the Train "We're still working on design plans," said Pellegrino-Spear. "We're hoping it will be a tribute to the historic 9005 Locomotive and the historic railroad in Clovis."

She added she hopes the park will be complete within six months of the ground breaking date.

Other projects include finalizing code repairs for the Lyceum Theatre and a full remediation of the Levine's building.

"It's a 100-year-old building and there are some features that we have to adjust for new regulatory codes," said Pellegrino-Spear. "We're still working with the city to finalize those."

City Manager Larry Fry said plenty of ideas were addressed when city commissioners held a public input meeting last week.

"I don't think there's anything specific in mind," said Fry, adding potential ideas included using the building as an open space event area, park area or for retailing and manufacturing.

Fry said it is possible more public input meetings will be held before the city commission makes a decision, though they have not been scheduled yet.

Two of the Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce's largest events will happen in the next three months, according to Executive Director Karl Terry.

The 2017 Chamber of Commerce Banquet will take place 6 p.m. Jan. 12 at the Yam Theatre and will give attendees the chance to dress formally with the theme "an evening of elegance."

Along with a meal catered by Sodexo and live music provided by the cast of Eatern New Mexico University's production of "Pirates of Penzance," the event will feature awards given to businesses and community members that demonstrated the most dedication to their work in 2016.

Tickets for the event are $25 for a seat or $180 for a table of eight, and can be purchased online at portales.com, or by calling 575-356-8541.

One of Portales' most important events of the year according to Terry, the 25th annual Ag Expo will be returning March 24 and 25.

While the Chamber of Commerce is still working out the details, Terry said that this year's event will pay tribute to the people responsible for founding it.

"There'll be a little bit of that, and we're talking about a few other things that aren't totally together yet," he said, adding that many of Ag Expo's mainstays will be returning.

"A lot of the stuff that we've had there in the past is coming back; the antique tractors, the dog trials should be back," he said.

Vendors are currently able to sign up for the event, and can do so at a reduced price due to an extension of the early bird deadline through the end of January.

Vendors can register for the event at nmagexpo.com, or by calling 575-356-8541.

The Floyd Lions Club Jamboree, four days of live country music held March 23-26 in the Floyd High School cafeteria, will offer family-friendly fun to all of Eastern New Mexico, according to co-coordinator Wade Carter.

"It's a good, clean family show. If you like country music, you'll see professional musicians there. They're very talented. People are always complaining there's not a lot to do in this area, but here's something right at their door step that's fairly inexpensive to go to, and it's a good time," he said.

The jamboree will begin at 7 p.m. March 23-25, and at 2 p.m. March 26.

Tickets for the event are $7 each night, and can be purchased at the door.