Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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New Mexico high school students were making their own rules this week but not before passing them through congressional houses in a series of lively debates. Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune Bianca Soliz, center, governor of New Mexico Girls State, writes her speech Thursday afternoon for that evening's inaugural ball. She enlisted the help of Darci Roe, left, and Kayleigh Wood. Junior girls from across the state came to Eastern New Mexico University for a taste of government and leadership experience as the...
Portales city officials had barricades ready near 18th Street Thursday night to make sure there wouldn't be a repeat of the events that took place in Wednesday night's storm. Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune Vehicles continued to drive through large puddles on 18th Street Thursday afternoon, an effect of Wednesday night's storm. Officials say 18th Street and Globe is one of the intersections in the Portales that is likely to flood in the event of a storm because it acts as a drain channel. Portales Police Chief Doug...
U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development State Director Terry Brunner travels around New Mexico to hear about the issues of rural citizens. In his series of informal meetings called, "Give Your Two Cents to Terry," Brunner hopes to expand his knowledge about the challenges that rural New Mexicans face in areas including housing, water, job creation, and the expansion of broadband and electrical service. Brunner, a native of Chicago, was appointed to be the state director for USDA rural development by President Barack...
Roosevelt County court documents show all but one person charged with drug trafficking last month sold small amounts of methamphetamine to an informant. One of the suspects sold prescription drugs. The others sold amounts ranging from a half gram to two grams of methamphetamine, the records show. Street value of the meth ranged from $40 to $140 per sale, records show. Ten people were arrested May 23 in what police called "one of the city's largest drug busts," that followed a four-month investigation. Arrest warrants were...
If you're at least 18 years of age and a registered voter, you could be the next municipal judge of Portales. Although those are the only requirements for the position, the Portales City Council wants interested candidates to say what qualifies them as it searches to replace Municipal Judge Fred Arnold, who will retire June 30, according to a letter he wrote to the council that was read by Portales Mayor Sharon King Tuesday at the council's meeting. King was ready to ask for the approval of her appointee for interim judge,...
Doug Redmond is the choice to replace retiring Portales City Manager Tom Howell. The Portales City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to approve Redmond as the city's new manager. Redmond will resign as Roosevelt County Community Development Corp. director on June 30 and will start with the city on July 1 at an $82,000 salary. Howell, who served as city manager for five years, will stay with the city until September in a yet-to-be determined role. "I'm very excited. I'm looking forward to working with the mayor and the...
Roosevelt County Emergency Management Director Keith Wattenberger said Sunday night's thunderstorms were pretty intense for June weather. "It was raining so hard that you couldn't see a car-length in front of you," said Wattenberger about his drive around the county when he was checking for damages. "Usually we get (thunderstorms) earlier, but we're getting them kind of late this year. It's been a little bit of wait." Wattenberger said no damages were reported in Sunday and Monday's storms, which produced anywhere from half...
For those still in the dark about what the lesser prairie chicken is or why its existence is important, there is a community meeting Tuesday. The bird has been at the center of controversy since 1998 after it was identified as a candidate for federal listing by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, a federal organization tasked with wildlife preservation. In recent months the chicken, native to New Mexico and four other states and known for its bizarre mating rituals, has been under consideration to be listed as "threatened"...
Roosevelt General Hospital CEO Larry Leaming says the ultimate goal of a state-run health exchange is to get uninsured people in New Mexico health coverage. But with that goal in mind, Leaming says it's not clear how the state will achieve that goal while making health care affordable. "Well if we're going to have an exchange, we should be the ones to design it," Leaming said. "I'm very much opposed to governmental bureaucracy. Even good ideas can turn into regulations." Leaming sits on the board of directors for the state's...
Another suspect charged last week with drug trafficking in Portales is behind bars, according to Roosevelt County Detention Center staff. Francisco "The Tank" Lopez, 23, turned himself in, bringing the total to 11 who have been taken into custody as a result of four-month drug-trafficking investigation, police said. Ten Portales residents were arrested last week in a sweep by area enforcement. Six more subjects charged in the investigation remain at large. The suspects were arrested on felony charges of the possession, sale...
The search for a replacement for retiring Portales Schools Superintendent Randy Fowler will continue. The Portales schools Board of Education voted 3-2 Wednesday to re-advertise the superintendent position. Board President Alan Garrett and members Mary Lou Rowley and Rod Savage voted in favor of reopening the search. Vice President Antonio Sanchez Jr. and board member Ynez Rodriguez voted against the motion. "This is the single most significant decision of the board," Garrett said after the meeting. "We want to make sure we... Full story
Law enforcement officers from Roosevelt and Curry counties gathered at Eastern New Mexico University Tuesday and Wednesday to attend a training seminar aimed at improving their customer service. The classes were instructed by Harvey Hedden, executive director of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association. Hedden, a native of Wisconsin, has been a law enforcement officer for 32 years, serving in ranks from patrolman to chief. Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune Portales Police Chief Doug Jones,...
Members of the agricultural community are hoping they won't see a repeat of what happened late last year as Congress continues to work on a new farm bill. The bill, which many farmers were in support of because it included disaster assistance programs, never made it to the floor of Congress. Instead, the existing farm bill was extended as part of a last-minute fiscal cliff deal, bringing legislators and farmers back to square one in proposing a new bill. "In previous farm bills, there has not been any drought disaster relief...
Joe Terry of Portales said his father's service inspired him to join the U.S. Army because he understood that it was something he had to do for his country. "He always said it was a responsibility of citizenship," Terry said. Christina Calloway: Portales News-Tribune Lt. Col. Travis Norton of Cannon Air Force Base talks about honoring the nation's fallen heroes Monday at the American Legion's 67th annual Memorial Day program in the Portales Cemetery. Terry carrying on that tradition of service was an example of what Lt. Col....
As the nation prepares to celebrate its fallen heroes Monday, Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce Director Karl Terry wants to remind you of the efforts of one Portales High School class. The PHS class of 1958 saw fit to honor members of the armed forces who died while serving any war since the county's inception, and after four years of planning, unveiled its efforts with a war memorial dedication ceremony last year during Memorial Day weekend. Those who died in the numerous wars are featured on paver stones at the...
The class only meets once a week. The rest of the week, Portales High School journalism students are out in the field getting hands-on experience. Students say learning journalism and working on the Portales School News Page, which runs at the back of the Friday edition of the Portales News-Tribune, has taught them responsibility and teamwork. "You have to be responsible because a lot of people count on you to do your job," said junior Vanessa Chavez. "They count on you to do yours so they can do theirs." Christina Calloway:...
Thursday marked the end of a four-month long drug-trafficking investigation in Portales that led to the arrests of 10 suspects. Portales police said they are expecting seven more arrests. The suspects were arrested on felony charges of the possession, sale and trafficking of meth. Christina Calooway: Portales News-Tribune Silviano "Silver" Lucero, 24, of Portales is escorted Thursday into the Portales police station. Police say Lucero's arrest Thursday was the second of 10... Full story
The bright, colorful dresses, the inspirational songs, the flashes from hundreds of cameras and the poles that stand as strong as the community's tradition are what keep Portales High School's Maypole ceremonies going. Maypole Director Wendy Brooks said every year it's a different group of students, with different talents and different formal wear, but one thing that is consistent is the heart of the 85-year tradition. Joshua Lucero: PNT correspondent Portales seniors Marshall Chavez, right, and partner Emily Benavidez...
Portales city councilors concluded no new laws are necessary to enforce the prohibition of aggressive panhandling because there is a similar code that can be amended to include it. The Portales City Council gave a notice of intent Tuesday night at its meeting to rewrite a city code regarding peddlers. The council wants to outlaw aggressive panhandling. "We have enough laws to worry about, we just need something enforceable that makes sense," Councilor Keith Thomas said. A proposed ordinance was discussed for months after... Full story
Two finalists were named in the search for Portales' new city manager Tuesday night at the Portales City Council meeting. Roosevelt County Community Development Corp. Director Doug Redmond and Stanley Livengood of San Antonio, Texas, are being considered to replace current city manager Tom Howell, who is retiring at the end of this year. Portales Mayor Sharon King sits on the city manager search committee along with a few other city councilors and a community member. King said the search will remain open until the position... Full story
An Eastern New Mexico University employee charged with embezzling more than $18,000 from the university said he was embarrassed and ashamed of the crimes he committed in a video of his interrogation. Plane tickets, hotel stays, limo rides, Disney World tickets and a tiara for a drag queen contest were among the 56 unauthorized purchases Jeremy Phillippi, 26, made with a university credit card, according to an ENMU Police Department incident report. Phillippi, the university's Math Department secretary and Science Fair coordin...
The search for Portales Municipal Schools' superintendent continues after Grady schools Superintendent Ted Trice declined the school board's offer Monday night. Trice was one of four final candidates considered to replace retiring Portales schools Superintendent Randy Fowler. "They're very gracious to offer the job and I appreciate that but for now, (Grady) is the best place for us to be," said Trice about the decision he said he made with his family. "I've prayed about it. I think this is the best thing for my family." Board... Full story
The Board of Education of Portales Schools is set to announce the district's new superintendent Monday at a special meeting. The search for a new leader, which began after current Superintendent Randy Fowler announced his retirement in February, was recently narrowed down to four candidates. Among those four, David Van Wettering and Henry Montano currently work for Portales schools. The other two candidates, Ted Trice and Jim Daugherty, are superintendents of Grady and Elida schools, respectively. The candidates participated... Full story
Officials at Portales Municipal Schools say a decline in enrollment is the reason for a dip in this year's budget. The budget is down $885,000 from last year's budget of $22.4 million and Business Manager Sarah Marquez says that's an indication that the economy is causing families to relocate. "We're down in our total budget and that's largely due to having a decrease in 100 kids from last year," said Marquez, who added she believes that number does not reflect children in military families stationed at Cannon Air Force...
A person of few words, Sarah Walker's action speaks volumes about her passion to help others. Walker, a special need student at Dora High School, spearheaded her second food drive at Dora schools, collecting 380 pounds of non-perishable goods in four days for the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico. Walker, 21, has Angelman syndrome, a neuro-genetic disorder that causes developmental delays, particularly in her speech. But those who know her say her disorder has never held her back from doing what she does best, helping those in...
