Year in review: Ned Houk violence marks year

Some area residents will remember 2024 as the year a Clovis native won the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association's All-Around World Championship.

Others may note it was the year Clovis city officials attempted to address issues with panhandling and homelessness.

Or the year fire destroyed the Portales Hampton Farms peanut processing plant.

The year, like all years, was marked with triumph and transitions. But many will remember 2024 for violence more senseless than most: the afternoon of May 3 when two young women were killed by a man police said they'd never met before he shot them to death in a city park. The man also is accused of shooting a 5-year-old and kidnapping a 10-month old child before fleeing to Texas.

Police have not identified a motive in the case.

Family members said they believe Harley Cisneros and Taryn Allen, both 23 and lifelong friends from Texico, should be remembered as heroes. That's because whatever happened in Ned Houk Park that day, Cisneros' children – 5-year-old Sofia Cisneros and 10-month-old Eleia Maria Torres – survived their ordeals.

"They are heroes in the truest sense, having laid down their own lives to try and protect and save Sofia and Eleia from harm," Laura and Mike Robinson said in a joint statement after Alek Collins of Houston was arrested. "A mother's love is the ultimate sacrifice, for she gives everything for her children."

Laura Robinson, Harley Cisneros' mother, and Amy Jo Robinson, Allen's mother, both said their daughters had been close friends since they were in diapers together.

Taryn loved babies and wanted one of her own. She loved being a second mom to her friend's children, family members said. Harley's favorite times with her children involved arts and crafts.

Police said they used "investigative leads, through witness statements, videos and cell phone records, including some GPS investigation" to track Collins to Abilene, Texas. That's where he was arrested three days after the slayings with an unharmed baby Eleia.

"Sofia is living with her grandparents and is happy to be back in school with her friends," Matt Chandler, a Lubbock attorney representing the families, told The News on Wednesday.

"She's still recovering physically and emotionally from everything she went through this year, but her strength and courage are truly inspiring."

Collins is in federal custody awaiting trial. FBI officials last month declined to provide details about the progress of the court case, but online records show a trial for kidnapping is tentatively set for Oct. 20-31 this year. Attorneys representing Collins have requested a competency hearing, but it was unclear last week whether that hearing has taken place.

Here are some of the other top news stories that occurred in 2024:

January

Jan. 5: Authorities charged a Clovis man in connection with the Dec. 30, 2023, death of Matthew Gibbs, who police said was hit by a vehicle on his way to work.

Court records show Collin Guthals knew he hit something late the night before, but said he could not find anyone or anything when he went to search.

Guthals told police he learned of Gibbs' death on Facebook on Dec. 31 and realized "he was the driver who (struck) Matthew" at the intersection of 14th and Sycamore streets in Clovis.

Guthals said he did not tell police about the incident until after his arrest because he was scared.

He was charged with leaving the scene of an accident, conspiracy to commit tampering with evidence and driving while license suspended or revoked.

A jury trial has been set for April of this year.

Jan. 8: Blowing snow led to dozens of vehicle crashes across eastern New Mexico and the Texas Panhandle.

One crash outside the port of entry near Texico involved 15 vehicles, including five large commercial trucks.

No fatalities were reported, but the highway between Clovis and Texico was closed for almost four hours for wreckage to be cleared.

Jan. 23: A Clovis woman who said she shot an intruder in her home on Aug. 4 was charged with murder.

Alexandra Romero told police she shot Javier Jimenez after she found him trespassing on her property. She said Jimenez had left her death threats on her phone and "she was in fear of her and her children's safety" when she shot him.

A Clovis jury found her not guilty when the case went to trial in November.

Jan. 24: Former Portales Mayor Ron Jackson, 63, died in a Lubbock hospital.

Jackson announced in November 2023 he'd be stepping down as mayor due to stage 4 renal failure and dialysis at home.

Roger Jackson said his brother's health had been rapidly declining since Jan. 3.

February

Feb. 4: Longtime Muleshoe radio broadcaster Magann Rennels died at age 81 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Rennels spent decades reporting the news and promoting her community of 5,000 through her volunteer work.

National journalists Tumbleweed Smith and Anderson Cooper were among those who traveled to Muleshoe through the years to record her legacy.

Feb. 11: Eastern New Mexico residents awoke to the season's biggest snowfall.

No major outages or accidents were reported, but travel was hazardous and most area schools delayed opening the following day due to the icy conditions.

The National Weather Service reported Portales received 5.5 inches of snow, while Clovis saw 5 inches. Some area residents around Portales reported up to 8 inches of snow.

Feb. 21: A pedestrian died after being hit by a motor vehicle in Clovis. Police identified the victim as Willie Hall, 73.

The incident happened just before 9 p.m. in the 1400 block of West 21st Street. A witness told police that Hall "emerged from an alleyway, running north across 21st Street, when he was impacted by the motor vehicle that was traveling westbound on 21st Street."

A police news release reported Hall was transported to Plains Regional Medical Center but did not survive.

Police did not identify the driver of the vehicle but said that person has "cooperated with the investigation."

Feb. 26: A grass fire at St. Bernard Farms caused an estimated $50,000 in damages and destroyed plans for a go-kart attraction.

The fire was driven by winds in excess of 40 mph.

Firefighters contained the blaze to fewer than 15 acres and farm owner Rocky Bernard said fields where corn mazes and pumpkin patches are popular in the fall were not damaged by the blaze.

Feb. 28: A Farwell man died after he was struck by a vehicle in the 200 block of Curry Road 10 northwest of Texico.

Officials said Brandon Galvan, 23, had been running as part of his physical fitness routine when he was hit by a Chevrolet Tahoe.

The Tahoe's driver called 911 and remained at the scene for the arrival of rescue personnel.

March

March 4: Portales school board members named Sharon Rowley the district's new superintendent. She succeeded Johnnie Cain, who retired at the end of the school year.

Board members had four finalists to choose from, all with ties to Portales Municipal Schools.

Rowley was assistant at Portales' Lindsey-Steiner Elementary before moving to the Fort Sumner district, where she was the school principal.

March 5: Clovis Mayor Mike Morris and four other incumbents were returned to office in the municipal election.

Jewelry store owner Gail Tarson also won, succeeding Lauren Rowley who did not seek re-election to the city commission.

March 10: The Eastern New Mexico University men's basketball team won the Lone Star Conference tournament on a 3-point buzzer beater.

The Greyhounds beat third-seeded Lubbock Christian, 91-88, in the title game.

It was ENMU's second LSC title and first since 1993.

The victory allowed the Hounds to advance to the NCAA Division II playoffs where they lost to Colorado Mesa, 95-77, on March 16.

March 14: New Mexico's Supreme Court ordered a new trial for the Portales daycare operators who left two children unattended in a hot car in 2017.

Sandi and Mary Taylor had been convicted and sentenced to serve 36 years in prison in 2019 after one toddler died and the other was seriously injured.

The court ordered a new trial because jury instructions "confused and misdirected the jury..."

Online court records show the new trial is set to begin in February this year.

March 15: A New Mexico State Police Officer from Logan was killed after he responded to a request to help a stranded motorist on Interstate-40 near Tucumcari.

Justin Hare, 35, was shot to death moments after stopping behind the disabled vehicle, officials said.

Jaremy Smith, 32, of Marion, S.C., was soon arrested in Bernalillo County. He's charged with first-degree murder in connection with the officer's slaying.

Smith is also a person of interest in the death of a South Carolina paramedic whose car was located at the scene of the New Mexico shooting.

He is awaiting trial in both homicide cases and is being held in the New Mexico Penitentiary in Santa Fe under the custody of U.S. marshals.

April

April 2: The Portales City Council fired City Manager Sarah Austin in a 6-2 vote, days after placing her on paid leave.

Officials declined to say why Austin was fired and Austin said she did not know.

Fire Chief TJ Cathey was named interim city manager until Council members hired Air Force Veteran Christopher Moyer in August.

The Council selected Moyer from 37 applicants.

April 15: Fire destroyed one of the Portales Hampton Farms peanut processing plants.

While it was originally reported as a "fire outside of the building that is not large at this time," it quickly evolved into "fire in several different areas of the commercial structure and outside the building," records showed.

Firefighters were hampered by sustained winds of 40 mph and gusts near 60 mph.

One Hampton Farms employee was injured, but released from a local hospital a few days later.

Officials did not immediately announce a cause of the fire and Cathey said last week he still does not know the cause. They declared it under control about five hours after it started, but smoke continued to come from the facility for days.

Hampton Farms Vice President R.P. Watson said the 16 employees who regularly worked at the burned building would keep their jobs without disruption. He said the company has three plants in Portales.

April 18: Clovis Community College named Jonathan Fuentes its sixth president.

Fuentes, vice president of academic partnerships at Odessa College, began his new job July 1.

He succeeded Charles Nwankwo who resigned Feb. 1, 2023.

Fuentes was selected over four other finalists.

April 22: Portales City Council members voted 4-3 to ease water restrictions for residents.

The change meant residents living at odd-numbered addresses could water their lawns for 30 minutes between 9 p.m. Mondays and 7 a.m. Tuesdays. Those living at even-numbered addresses could water their lawns for 30 minutes between 9 p.m. Thursdays and 7 a.m. Fridays, officials said.

The Council had previously prohibited all lawn watering under what it called Stage 3 restrictions.

April 23: Clovis school board members voted 5-0 to implement a Facilities Master Plan that would allow the district to receive funds from the state for future building projects.

The plan meant Cameo Elementary School would close at the end of the school year, while other schools would be consolidated and the freshman campus would return to the high school over the next 12 months.

School officials said the district had too much unused building space, based on state guidelines that are used to determine which building projects are eligible for matching funds from the state.

April 26: Clovis' Walmart held a "grand reopening" ceremony, celebrating the retail giant's full recovery from a Sept. 3, 2023, fire that forced it to shut down for nearly two months.

The store had been gradually reopening as construction was completed on repairs made necessary by the fire. The ceremony marked the completed comeback from an estimated $42 million in damages.

Jimmy Guillen, a transient who had been in Clovis only a few days, was charged with arson in connection with the fire and awaits trial in federal custody.

May

May 6: A 73-year-old Clovis man was killed in a hit-and-run incident near Seventh and West streets in Clovis.

Vincent Galvan was taken to Plains Regional Medical Center but did not survive his injuries.

Galvan was found lying in the eastbound lane of Seventh Street, police said. The motor vehicle involved in the crash was last seen heading north on Hull Street from Seventh Street.

No arrests had been made by year's end.

May 27: The Hillcrest Park Zoo's baby warthogs had been named Hakuna and Matata in an online vote.

Hakuna was the female; her brother was named Matata.

About 1,500 voters participate in the contest.

May 28: Cannon Air Force Base Commander Jeremy Bergin announced he'd be leaving for an assignment at Air Force Special Operations Command.

Bergin said the surprise change came as a "result of several recent senior leader moves throughout the Air Force, leaving the AFSOC staff in need of a senior Colonel."

Col. Robert Johnston was named his successor in July.

May 28: Roosevelt County Manager Amber Hamilton told county commissioners she would be leaving July 26.

She became the county manager in September 2014.

"Ten years ago ... the county was in financial trouble," County Commissioner Paul Grider said. "Since then, she has put our county in very, very good shape and it's all because of the hard work and dedication she's had."

Annette Kirk, a local business manager, succeeded Hamilton in August.

May 29: Spring storms produced heavy rain, large hail and tornado warnings in Clovis and Portales.

Officials said two tornadoes touched down briefly in unpopulated areas near Cannon Air Force Base but no serious damage was reported.

Tennis-ball size hail damaged roofs and vehicles throughout the region. Some areas saw up to 4 inches of rain, the National Weather Service reported.

June

June 1: Eastern New Mexico University accepted a $2.5 million donation from a college alumnus. ENMU officials called it the "single largest gift in university history."

The donation to ENMU's sports programs was provided by Steve Loy, a former Greyhound football player and golfer who went on to a career as a professional sports agent.

The donation will fund two scholarships, establish an assistant coaches' fund and establish a leadership academy for student athletes.

On July 29, the university announced it's changing the names of Greyhound Stadium and Greyhound Arena to Steve Loy Family Foundation Stadium and Steve Loy Family Foundation Arena, respectively.

June 4: Primary elections resulted in Elida rancher Pat Boone winning the state Senate seat held for decades by Stuart Ingle who retired at the end of 2023. Boone defeated Roswell attorney Greg Nibert by 101 votes.

In other contested races, Seth Martin won another term on the Curry County Commission while former Roosevelt County Sheriff Malin Parker won a seat on the Roosevelt County Commission.

June 5: One of Clovis' more iconic buildings caught fire and was soon reduced to rubble.

The "castle house" at 1220 Mitchell was reported on fire about 1:30 p.m. and was quickly destroyed by the blaze.

Police on the scene said arson was the likely cause.

The castle house was so named because of its architectural style, with small turrets lining the roof.

June 11: The Portales City Council voted 6-2 to give a private company – EPCOR -- access to information about the city's water, wastewater and reuse system.

EPCOR provides water to the city of Clovis.

Former state Sen. Stuart Ingle cautioned against privatizing the city water system, saying he'd seen other small towns struggle after private companies abandoned them.

City Council member Eldon Merrick said the resolution was non-binding. "This is just an exploratory thing to let them come in and look over our situation."

No decision had been made by year's end.

June 17: Fires broke out around Ruidoso, forcing evacuations across the area and threatening hundreds of structures.

Several Clovis-Portales-area residents lost homes to the blazes and Clovis firefighters were among more than 1,000 firefighters who helped contain the fires, which killed two.

June 21: Clovis Municipal Schools announced it was looking for a new head football coach.

Andrew McCraw, two months away from starting his third season as Wildcats head coach, said he would be coaching at Eastern New Mexico University in the fall.

Stan Hodges, 55, a veteran coach from Texas, succeeded McCraw in July.

McCraw's teams were 8-13 in his two seasons, though the Wildcats reached the playoffs in 2023 with a 5-5 record.

Hodges' first Clovis High team was winless in 10 tries.

June 27: Clovis Municipal Schools named Corey Pickett the new head basketball coach.

Pickett, a Clovis High assistant coach since 2020, succeeded Josh Mattox who resigned for "personal reasons," CMS Athletic Director Lonnie Baca said.

Pickett inherited a Wildcats team that went 20-9 in 2024 but lost several key players including its top scorer, rebounder and playmaker.

July

July 5: Hank Baskett Jr., a longtime civic leader and advocate for abused children, died at age 80.

A retired Air Force sergeant, Baskett was well known throughout Clovis for his multiple volunteer activities. In 2013, United Way of Eastern New Mexico gave him its Lifetime Achievement Award.

He spent 21 years as executive director of Oasis Children's Advocacy Center, before retiring from his second career in 2015.

July 9: A Clovis occupational therapist was arrested, charged with sex crimes against children in his care.

Jared Cordum, 28, was arrested at his Clovis home and initially charged with criminal sexual penetration of a minor, criminal sexual contact of a minor, practicing without a license and battery, court records show.

Additional charges followed later in the year and he

was being held without bond in the Curry County Adult Detention Center at year's end, awaiting trial.

July 12: The U.S. Department of Defense announced plans to establish a "STARBASE" program at Cannon Air Force Base. 

The Science and Technology Academies Reinforcing Basic Aviation and Space Exploration would allow students k-12 to "learn the importance of science, technology, engineering and mathematics skills in real world situations and develop essential math and science fundamentals," a news release from U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., stated.

Cannon officials said they hoped to implement the program early in 2025.

July 15: A Portales man was shot to death after apparently trying to help a woman who was afraid of the suspected killer.

Police said Anthony Ortega was arrested July 17 after a 12-13 hours standoff. Police received a tip Ortega was staying at an unoccupied residence owned by a family member. No one was injured in the standoff.

Ortega was accused of killing Ben Castillo, 51. Court records show the woman called Castillo – identified as a family friend – after she felt unsafe following an encounter with Ortega.

Ortega's jury trial is scheduled for June.

July 17: A Portales woman with Alzheimer's, missing since July 13, was found dead "relatively near where she was last seen," Roosevelt County Sheriff Javier Sanchez said.

Mary Stinnett, 58, was found by family members who'd been looking for her since her disappearance.

Officials said no foul play was suspected in her death.

July 22: A Portales teenager was shot to death and Portales police arrested another teen in connection with the incident.

Police at first believed Demariay Singleton, 18, accidentally shot himself in the head. After additional investigation, a 16-year-old boy was arrested and charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Court records show multiple boys were playing video games, smoking marijuana and passing around a revolver. Some witnesses said the suspect and victim struggled over the gun and it discharged.

The 16-year-old, initially held at a juvenile detention center in Farmington, ultimately reached a plea agreement for involuntary manslaughter and is on probation, prosecutors said.

July 26: A former Clovis police officer was charged with drug trafficking and accessory to residential burglary.

A warrant was issued for Frank Careri, who resigned his job with Clovis PD soon after an investigation began into the allegations against him.

In February 2023, a woman questioned about a burglary alleged Careri had provided her with information and drugs in exchange for provocative and nude pictures, court records show.

Careri waived a preliminary hearing in October and is awaiting a trial date, online records show.

August

Aug. 12: Robert "Bobby" Sandoval, a longtime Clovis city commissioner and Curry County commissioner who also spent 42 years with the U.S. Postal Service, died at age 87.

Sandoval was city commissioner for 13 years and county commissioner for eight years.

In 2022, he was honored with the Clovis Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award.

Aug. 16: A Cannon Air Force Base airman, deployed to an undisclosed location, died in a "non-combat related incident," Cannon announced in a news release.

Staff Sgt. Tristen Wright, 28, of Palm Bay, Fla., was assigned to the 27th Special Operations Logistics Readiness Squadron and was deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, Cannon reported.

"Our heart breaks for all those who are grieving right now," Cannon Wing Commander Col. Robert Johnston posted on his Facebook page.

Aug. 22: Despite about a dozen protestors outside, Clovis city commissioners at their regular meeting voted to adopt an ordinance forbidding camping on city property, including parks.

Commissioners said they saw the ordinance as a public safety measure, but critics said it was an affront to the homeless.

Protestors held signs that read "We make sure animals have shelter, why not people" and "Poverty is not a crime."

Commissioner Gene Porter took issue with those who opposed the ordinance.

"I'm disappointed in some of the things being said. We (commissioners) are not evil. There is a willful attempt to mischaracterize this ordinance and the commission," he said.

Aug. 27: Multiple gunshots were exchanged outside the Clovis Apartments, leaving one teenager dead and another on the run from police.

Demetrius Anderson, 16, was shot multiple times and pronounced dead soon after arrival at Plains Regional Medical Center.

Giovanni Brown-Johnson, 18, was charged with murder after multiple witnesses identified him as the shooter. He remained at large at year's end.

Aug. 29: Heavy rain fell across much of the region, with some areas outside Portales reporting 3 to 4 inches in home rain gauges.

Officially, Portales received 2.4 inches of moisture, while Clovis had 1.58 inches.

Brief power outages and flooded roads were reported, but no major damage occurred, officials said.

September

Sept. 5: Clovis city commissioners approved a bid to construct a $25.5 million airport terminal.

Officials said the city's portion of the project is $500,000. The Federal Aviation Administration will fund the rest.

The terminal, which will be 20,000 square feet larger than the current facility, was expected to be complete in about 21 months.

It's needed because passenger enplanements have grown from 5,000 in 2019 to more than 13,000 in 2023, Airport Director Amanda Brungart said.

Sept. 6: Eastern New Mexico University's Board of Regents voted unanimously to name the school's broadcast center in honor of Duane Ryan. He was longtime director of broadcasting at KENW-TV and radio.

Ryan, a member of the ENMU community since 1967, died in 2023 at age 90.

Sept. 23: Zia Elementary School became the third school in the Clovis district's history to win a coveted National Blue Ribbon Schools award.

Mesa Elementary won in 2001 and 2016, while Ranchvale school won in 2010.

"The National Blue Ribbon Schools Award is a testament to the exceptional achievements of students and educators at each of these schools," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona.

The Education Department recognized 356 schools across the nation. Zia was one of just three New Mexico schools to win the prize in 2024.

Sept. 30: Portales' Kenneth Broad was awarded the "Honored Friend" of the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation ambassador award.

The award is a custom-made Buddy Holly-inspired guitar, and is displayed in the iconic Norman Petty Studios in Clovis.

Broad, for over 40 years, has been the key representative, caretaker, and tour guide of the Norman Petty Studios.

October

Oct. 9: A 78-year-old Clovis woman was the city's fourth homicide victim of the year.

Police said Virginia Montoya was watching television with her husband when the doorbell rang. When she answered the door, she was shot in the chest.

Police arrested Dan Lucero, 36, the grandson of Montoya's husband, and charged him with first-degree murder.

He was being held without bond in the Curry County jail at year's end, awaiting trial.

Oct. 18: Sandra Taylor-Sawyer, director of the Small Business Development Center at Clovis Community College since 1996, retired.

A "come-and-go" reception honoring her was held at the Eula Mae Edwards Museum on the CCC campus.

"In this line of work, you have to be calm and reasoned and measured in your approach with businesses," said Trish Livingston, a former coworker. "And she's certainly all of that."

Oct. 21: Everett Frost, the eighth president of Eastern New Mexico University, died at age 82.

Frost led the ENMU system from 1991 to 2001.

He taught anthropology classes before and after his time as president.

Patrice Caldwell, ENMU's 11th president, had high praise for Frost.

"He said 'There's no reason we have to play second tuba to anybody. We were doing exactly what the big schools were doing, we were doing it inclusively, and watching our budget to make sure it succeeded," Caldwell recalled.

Oct. 22: The football field at Clovis High School's Leon Williams Stadium was named in honor of CHS retired head football coach Eric Roanhaus.

"It's a very humbling experience," Roanhaus said after the CMS School Board's unanimous vote at its regular October meeting.

Roanhaus-coached teams won 10 state football championships. No other football coach in the state's history has won that many titles with the same team. His first was in 1978 and the last in 2001.

He retired following the 2016 season.

Oct. 29: Portales revealed its "baby box," a safe place where babies up to 90 days old can be placed for adoption with the state and parents won't face criminal repercussions.

Organizers said Portales is the seventh city in New Mexico to host a baby box, which is located at the main fire station, 301 S. Ave. C.

Cost for the baby box was about $15,000 with all the money raised through donations, organizers said.

November

Nov. 2: Three people were found dead in a running car outside the La Vista Inn motel in Clovis. Police said they did not suspect foul play.

Tests showed the vehicle's exhaust system was faulty and was the likely cause of death.

Hector Flores, 29, Alizara Gallegos, 19, and Flores' son Aaden Flores, 7, had gone to the motel to meet a friend and possibly stay with him, said Flores' sister Blanca Ferrel.

Police reports show the friend saw the vehicle in the motel parking lot about six hours after they arrived but thought the trio was sleeping and did not initially attempt to wake them. The friend eventually opened the car doors and found the victims deceased, police said.

Nov. 13: One man was killed and two teenage boys shot in what officials said was a gun deal that "went bad" in the Hilltop Shopping Center on West 21st Street in Clovis.

Police allege Marcos Ramirez, 26, was shot to death by one of four boys who were attempting to purchase a gun from Ramirez. The boys, all between the ages of 15 and 16, were charged with murder in the case. Two have been certified to face trial as adults; prosecutors said they also intend to seek adult sanctions against the other two when a grand jury meets in January.

One of the boys shot was critically injured with a wound to his neck. A second boy was also shot, in the arm, court records show.

A cousin of Ramirez told police he shot toward the boys after witnessing Ramirez's slaying. No charges were initially brought against him, though officials said the case was still under investigation.

Nov. 16: Texico's girls volleyball team won its 18th state volleyball championship and second Class 2A title in a row.

The Lady Wolverines beat Mesilla Valley in four sets at Rio Rancho Event Center.

Nov. 21: The city of Clovis introduced an ordinance aimed at cracking down on panhandling.

City commissioners, who approved the introduction unanimously, said they were targeting aggressive solicitation, trespassing on private property and those who step into the roadway to solicit from medians.

Nov. 23: Melrose throttled Mesilla Valley, 62-12, to capture its second straight 8-man football title.

Senior quarterback Josiah Roybal threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for two more, giving him 51 combined touchdowns this season (36 passing 15 rushing).

He finished the campaign with 1,990 passing yards and 720 rushing yards.

Nov. 30: Texico thumped Santa Rosa, 50-0, to earn its second consecutive Class 2A state football championship.

Senior running back Alex Fuentes rushed for 257 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Wolverines, who finished their season 12-0.

December

Dec. 14: An early morning house fire claimed the lives of three children and left five other residents hospitalized.

Firefighters responded to the fire on Conestoga Trail south of Clovis about 2:30 a.m. They found the home "fully involved" in flames with three adults and two children injured in the yard. At least one of the victims remained hospitalized at year's end. The children who died were identified as Alana Martinez, 11, Alijah Martinez, 3, and Aziah Martinez, 5.

"It appears everyone was asleep (when the fire began). The children perished inside the residence," Clovis Fire Department Battalion Chief Chris Elam said.

A law officer on the scene reported he investigated for signs of foul play but found none. "I only located blood droplets on the northwest portion of the house that are believed to have come from one of the residents during an attempt to rescue others through a window," the officer wrote in a Sheriff's Department report.

Dec. 14: Clovis native Shad Mayfield won the All-Around World Championship at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nev.

Mayfield scored the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association's biggest honor by earning $335,474 over 80 rodeos throughout 2024. He finished just $675 ahead of second-place Coleman Proctor of Oklahoma.

Mayfield, primarily a calf roper, also finished second in the tie-down competition.

Dec. 21: Fire destroyed the iconic Kenna store and service station in Roosevelt County.

Officials said they don't know what caused the fire, but labeled it "suspicious." The building had been closed for seven years and was not hooked up to electricity or gas, firefighters said.

The general merchandise store, service station and post office opened in 1940, according to "Kenna: A Ranching Community" that tracks the village history.

Dec. 30: A chemical spill produced toxic gas, sending 15 Southwest Cheese employees to area hospitals.

Two patients were initially reported in critical condition at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis, but all had been released within the week.

Curry County Sheriff Michael Brockett stated in a news release that "8.67 gallons of acid spilled and was mixed with .61 gallons of chlorine due to an equipment malfunction. The chemical mixture produced toxic gas that spread in one area of the facility."

Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis received eight patients from the cheese plant. Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales received seven patients.

Their symptoms were "mostly respiratory-related as the chemicals were inhaled," one hospital spokesperson said.