Local roundup - July 8

Two ‘fugitives from justice’ arrested in area

Curry County sheriff’s investigators made two unrelated “fugitive from justice” arrests this week.

On Thursday, investigators arrested Marcos Rodriguez Aparicio, 30, of Kennewick, Washington, charging him with being a fugitive from the state of Washington.

“Aparicio was located and arrested at 99 Spur Road, in the Ranchvale area,” a sheriff’s news release said.

On Friday, investigators arrested Abraham Gonzales Silva, 23, of Clovis, charging him with being a fugitive from justice from Scurry County, Texas.

Silva is wanted for second-degree-felony sexual assault.

He was arrested at 1601 E. Fifth St. in Clovis.

Both men were in Curry County Adult Detention Center on Friday, awaiting extradition.

Children’s foundation gives grant to food bank

The Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico has received a $2,000 grant from the New Mexico Children’s Foundation, according to a food bank news release.

Funds will go to the food bank’s backpack program to feed children over the weekend and a new program, “Feeding Families,” which provides a box of food for an entire family.

The New Mexico Children’s Foundation funds small non-profit children’s organizations throughout New Mexico.

Struggling Sears chain closing more stores

NEW YORK — Struggling department store chain Sears says it’s closing even more stores as it tries to turn around its business.

Sears Holdings Corp. CEO Eddie Lampert said in a blog post Friday that the company would close another eight Sears and 35 Kmart stores that are unprofitable by early October. Hundreds of store closings have already been announced this year.

The Sears store in Clovis is not on the list of those scheduled to close.

Sears had said in March that there was “substantial doubt” it could continue after years of bleeding money, though it has insisted that its actions to regroup should help reduce that risk. With more people shopping online, mall foot traffic has dropped.

Lampert noted Friday that Sears has opened smaller stores to attract customers and is on track to cut $1.25 billion in yearly costs.

There were 624 Kmart stores and 651 Sears stores as of the end of April.

Sears stock dipped 2.1 percent to $7.76 in afternoon trading.

— Staff and wire reports