Week of March 18, 2026
Week of March 18, 2026
Six people were shot, one is dead and another critically wounded following a drive-by reported at a house party early Sunday morning in Clovis. Police said Lyrasha Haskins, 21, was killed. Capt. Roman Romero said a 17-year-old female was airlifted to Lubbock with life-threatening injuries. Romero said two others were also transported to Lubbock for treatment. The shooting occurred near Grand and Calhoun streets. Police Chief Trevor Thron said officials received an anonymous call soon after the incident, which led to a home...
A brush fire scorched about 5 acres of land on Sunday afternoon on Clovis' south side. Trees and fence posts caught fire and multiple residents in the area were seen with water hoses as structures were threatened. One resident said his back yard caught fire. But Deputy Fire Chief Terrance Lizardo said no structures were lost. Firefighters needed more than two hours to contain the blaze. Forest Park Drive was closed, along with several side streets off of Dixie Drive as...
Oasis State Park in Roosevelt County is hosting an annual fishing derby from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday. The park's Friends Group and New Mexico Department of Wildlife have combined to stock the park pond with 800 rainbow trout "measuring approximately 10 inches to create a high-quality fishing opportunity," according to a parks news release. "For many families, this could be the moment a child catches their very first fish," said Toby Velasquez, State Parks division director. "Experiences like that stay with people for a...
First responders in Clovis were called to a grass fire in a residential neighborhood, an alleged stabbing and a reported pickup vs. pedestrian crash all in a 30-minute span on Tuesday afternoon. None of the incidents resulted in serious injury or major damage, officials said. About 4 p.m., emergency crews were called to a possible crash involving a pedestrian at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and 21st Street. Deputy Police Chief Steven Wright said a man fell off his...
A Muleshoe man was killed Friday in a two-vehicle crash in Parmer County. The crash happened about 5:55 a.m. on Friday, about two miles north of FM 245 on State Highway 214. Texas Department of Public Safety reported Jose Cal Cucul, 45, died at the scene after his 2012 Nissan Maxima collided with a 2013 Honda Civic. The Civic was driven by Saul Rodriguez-Cruz, 24, of Friona. Rodriguez-Cruz was transported to Muleshoe Area Medical Center with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, according to a DPS news release....
Clovis Booked The following were recently booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center: • Jasmin Alcantara, 22, battery • Ruben Alfaro, 30, driving while license suspended or revoked • Pedro Andrade, 21, failure to pay fines • Justin Arias, 30, criminal trespass • Luis Chavez-Zamora, 46, conspiracy to commit aggravated battery on a household member • Severiano Cordova, 42, kidnapping, aggravated assault with deadly weapon, aggravated battery with deadly weapon, possession of a firearm or destructive...
It's a far cry from Roosevelt County's first rodeo – but officials still have a ways to go to get where they want to be. "The space is open, and talking with some of our promoters, they agree that we can get more rodeos, more often, with more events coming out here," said Commissioner Malin Parker. "I've been talking to different commissioners at different times on this subject, and I think there's a consensus on what we want to do." At the end of this month, the...
Bill Rice said the first time he ever saw the Floyd Lions Club Country Jamboree was from behind a set of drums on the back side of the stage of this long-running variety show. That was "maybe in 1992 or 1993," Rice said, and that became his view for the next couple of decades. Then life intervened, as it has a way of doing, and it's been at least a dozen years now since Rice said he had to bid goodbye to the Jamboree, first for a move to Texas and later to the Midwest. Now a...
TUCUMCARI – The city will begin issuing water bills this week, and all customers should receive them by April 1 after they were halted last fall due to discrepancies and computer glitches. City commissioners made resumption of water billings official during their regular meeting Thursday after City Manager Renee Hayoz assured them that bills covering the period from January to March could be issued before the end of this month. Hayoz said in a phone interview on Monday that January-to-March bills would be mailed this...
SANTA FE — New Mexico might be the only state that doesn’t pay its legislators a salary — at least for now — but there must be something about the Roundhouse that keeps some members coming back. At least four ex-lawmakers filed paperwork March 10 to run for office, including former state Rep. Debbie Rodella of Española, who served for 26 years in the state House before being ousted in the 2018 primary election. Rodella is vying with fellow Democrat Yolanda “Pancha” Jaramillo of Dixon for the House District 41...
SAN JON — The San Jon Municipal Schools board approved a Raptor Technologies visitor management system that will be used at the current school and the forthcoming new school. The initial cost will be $1,975 for the first year, and $1,045 for each subsequent year, Superintendent John York said. He said state funds will cover the cost. Under the Raptor system, each visitor’s driver’s license is scanned to see whether he or she is a sexual predator or another type of risk to the community, York said. York said visitors...
On this date … 1936: Construction of Metropolitan Park, also known as Five Mile Park, west of Tucumcari was set to begin by Civilian Conservation Corps crews under the supervision of Roy Franks. Franks told the Tucumcari Daily News that he plans to plant 4,000 trees of various varieties and build a swimming pool, three impounding dams and benches, tables and fireplaces for picnickers. Many roads and footpaths had been constructed. Once completed, the city administration intended to have deer, antelope and other wild game...
TUCUMCARI -- A Mesalands Community College official announced last week it had filled a long-vacant recruiter position, with the hope she will boost enrollment after a sharp decline last fall. Josh McVey, vice president of student services, said Wednesday during a board of trustees meeting that MCC student Teagan Mason had been hired for the full-time position and was on a recruiting trip that day to Alamogordo. McVey said she would complete her coursework on her own time. She is scheduled to graduate in December. Joel...
Two entities in Quay County recently learned they will receive over $1.7 million to address mental health issues among those primarily in the justice system. The Quay County Health Council and the 10th Judicial District Mental Health are due to receive up to $1.67 million in Early Access Regional Planning Funding and are negotiating with the New Mexico Health Care Authority regarding the actual allocation, Celia Kirkland of the Eastern Plains Council of Governments said last week. EPCOG is the fiscal agent for the funding....
UPDATED 3/19/2026 Thursday *Clovis City Commission - 5:15 p.m., North Annex, Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main St., Clovis. Information: 575-769-7828 *Town Hall meeting – 6:30 p.m., Portales Senior Citizens Center, 421 N. Industrial Drive, Portales. Information: www.portalesnm.gov or call 575-356-6662 Friday *City of Clovis Lodgers’ Tax Advisory Board – 5:30 p.m., North Annex, Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main St., Clovis. Information: 575-763-9654 Tuesday *Portales Infrastructure Capital Improvement...
UPDATED 3/20/2026 Thursday-Friday *Daffodil Days – annual fundraiser for Plains Regional Medical Center Home Health and Hospice, 2217 Dillon St., Clovis. Pre-order daffodils for pick up or delivery. Cash, check, credit card, PresPay. Arrangements include: Bundle of 8 daffodils - $8; bud vase with 2-3 daffodils - $12; sunshine daffodil arrangement (10 daffodils) - $20; dancing daffodil arrangement (20 daffodils) - $35. Proceeds assist patients and families with wheelchair ramps, utilities, transportation, etc. Information...
As Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham finished signing and vetoing bills on March 11, local lawmakers gave a largely upbeat assessment of those measures passed during the 30-day legislative session. "I think we did some good work this session," state Rep. Jack Chatfield, R-Mosquero, told The Eastern New Mexico News. March 11 was the deadline for Lujan Grisham to sign or veto 74 bills that passed during the legislative session that concluded Feb. 19. All legislation not acted upon by...
Most fires are banned under a resolution approved on a 3-2 vote March 10 by Curry County commissioners. The ban remains in force for the next 45 days. Commissioners Dusty Leatherwood and Seth Martin voted against the resolution declaring a fire emergency. Martin questioned the need for a burn ban, saying commissioners have never enacted one during his years serving on the board. Martin also said he opposed the ban because he believes it accomplishes little more than imposing government restrictions on private landowners....
Clovis Community College trustees on Friday approved the purchase of the Chase Gentry building across the street from the college. The building used to house a customer service call center. Trustees agreed to issue $3.5 million in bonds to purchase the building from Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce and Clovis Economic Development. Officials began making plans for the purchase last fall. They plan to use it for classrooms and instruction. Bond counsel Chris Muirhead said the purchase will not require new taxes, noting...
TUCUMCARI — The Arch Hurley Conservancy District board of directors allocated 18 inches of water per acre for its irrigation canals for the upcoming growing season. Though it was the second straight year the board allocated water due to ample levels in Conchas Lake, board members said during their March 10 meeting that area farmers ought to be prudent if dry conditions persist. “If (drought conditions) continue this summer, it will go fast,” district manager Franklin McCasland said. After the meeting, McCasland...
New Mexico environment officials on Thursday announced agreements with four Curry County dairies to conduct tests of groundwater contaminated by a plume of so-called “forever chemicals” stemming from Cannon Air Force Base. The state says the agreement marks “a significant step toward full remediation.” Zachary Ogaz, the general counsel for the environment department, told Source NM the agreements grew out of environment officials “spending a lot of time out in Clovis with the folks who have been really...
Clovis police last week tentatively identified the teenagers killed early on March 8 in a fiery crash near Seventh Street and Grand Avenue. River McElroy of Farwell and Luciano Miranda of Texico both died at the scene. Both were athletes at their respective high schools. Police incident reports show McElroy, 17, was driving a 2022 Cadillac eastbound at a high rate of speed when the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve, crossed over a concrete median into the westbound lane and slammed head-on into a semi-truck. Adrian...
With four of seven races uncontested, three matchups will give Roosevelt County voters something to decide in June’s Republican primary. Four remaining races – Commissioners for Districts 3 and 4, assessor and probate judge – are uncontested unless write-in candidates surfaced on Tuesday. There were no Democratic candidate filings. The most contested of the races will be the battle for the sheriff – Republicans Floyd Jones and Mark Morrison throwing in their hats to run against incumbent Javier Sanchez. Morrison, a...
The current Quay County sheriff faces a challenger in the June primary election, and a crowded field has entered the magistrate judge race. The incumbent sheriff, Dennis Garcia, officially filed his paperwork to seek a second term in that position. Challenging him for the Republican nomination is Rudy Vallejo, a former sheriff’s deputy for Quay and Santa Fe counties who was placed on a required leave of absence from the Tucumcari Police Department effective March 10 because of his political candidacy. For magistrate...
Curry County Republicans will have options for sheriff and probate judge when they go to the polls for the June 2 primary. Voters in November will have a choice for magistrate judge in Division I as Democrat Terry Martin is challenging Republican incumbent Janemarie Vander Dussen. Candidates for county offices signed up March 10 across the state. Early and absentee voting begins May 5. The general election is Nov. 3. Incumbent County Commissioners Fidel Madrid (Democrat, District 1) and Dusty Leatherwood (Republican...
A Texico woman was jailed on Thursday following allegations of embezzlement, fraud, forgery and fraudulently obtaining a pickup over the past four months. Claims against April Bertrand Dressen, 53, total about $80,000 since she went to work for Strebeck Cattle Co. and Five S Properties last year, court records show. Sid Strebeck told police Dressen forged his signature on multiple company checks and deposited the funds into her personal bank account. Strebeck said Dressen had access to the company’s QuickBooks accounting...
Hillcrest Senior Life Center 1704 E. Seventh St., Clovis (575) 769-7908 Menu Today: Lasagna with meat sauce, Italian blend vegetables, garlic breadstick, fruit salad Thursday: Chicken fajitas, zucchini with diced tomatoes and unsalted butter, pinto beans, apricots Friday: Grilled cheese sandwich, tomato soup, beets, fruit compote, light nonfat vanilla yogurt March 23: Beef and broccoli, brown rice, stir-fry vegetables, mandarin oranges, fortune cookie March 24: Barbecued chicken thigh, stewed tomatoes, blackeyed peas,...
The books listed below are now available for checkout at the Clovis-Carver Public Library. The library is open to the public, but patrons can still visit the online catalog at cloviscarverpl.booksys.net/opac/ccpl or call 575-769-7840 to request a specific item for curbside pickup. “The Devil in the Details” by Vicki Delany. Gemma Doyle is excited about celebrating Jayne Wilson’s big day. Following the festivities at the Sherlock Holmes Bookshop and Emporium, Gemma heads for the Blue Water Café, the site of Jayne’s...
We start out confused and mad, and over the course of 50-plus years, things don’t seem to get clearer. I’m talking about Social Security. I started getting mine this month. Just in time to save me from financial ruin. I remember looking at the first real paycheck I ever drew and wondering why it wasn’t made out for the amount that I had earned. It very clearly had the math work on the stub showing what had been taken out, but I didn’t quite understand why it was being...
Berta Sanchez, a Clovis property manager, is a lifelong fan of her hometown. But she'd also love to live in Stars Hollow. Q: Can you tell me a little about yourself? How long have you been in Clovis and what keeps you busy these days? A: I've been in Clovis my whole life. I was born and raised here. I work full time and have a child, so just a regular busy life. I love our restaurants here. I'm a big foodie and think we have some hidden gems people overlook. On our "fun"...
Services Click Here to View Obituaries • Fred Chavez, 92, died March 20. Information: Wheeler Mortuary • Gladys Clarke,100, died March 16. Information: Chavez Funeral Home • Bruce Franks, 73, died March 16. Information: Chavez Funeral Home • Jerry Landrum, 73, died March 14. Information: Steed-Todd Funeral Home • Kelly Lucero, 43, died March 18. Information: Muffley Funeral Home • Navianna Martinez, newborn, died March 16. Information: Muffley Funeral Home ...
FARMINGTON – Clovis High's girls were second while the boys came in third over the weekend in the six-team Panther Invite tennis tournament, hosted by Farmington H.S. Teams were split into two groups for pool play on Friday, then played their opposite number in Saturday's finals. The Lady Wildcats beat Piedra Vista 9-0 and Los Alamos 7-2 on Friday before losing in Saturday's championship dual to Espanola Valley 8-1. CHS dominated its dual with PV, losing a grand total of 22...
PORTALES – Eastern New Mexico University's softball team had a profitable weekend at home, posting three wins in a pair of Lone Star Conference doubleheaders. The Greyhounds (12-11, 8-8 LSC) split on Friday against St. Mary's, losing the first game 7-5 before coming back to win 6-4. On Saturday, they swept St. Edward's 4-3 and 8-0. Saturday – Sophomore right-hander Miranda Guillen (5-4) scattered eight hits in the opener and the Hounds rallied with two runs in the fifth,...
ROSWELL – Portales High’s baseball team finished off a 3-2 opening week in the Southwest Classic over the weekend, hosted by Roswell Goddard. In Saturday's fifth-place tilt, the Rams absorbed a 9-1 setback to Roswell High. After three scoreless frames, the Coyotes (4-3) broke the game open with a five-run fifth and cruised from there behind six strong innings from junior right-hander Diego Villa, who allowed four hits and struck out nine while pitching around five walks. Sophomore Alex Lomeli led a nine-hit attack,...
ROSWELL – In a game featuring five innings of five or more runs, junior Aidan Romero blanked Sandia over the final three frames as Clovis High held on for a 17-16 victory on Saturday in the third-place game of the eight-team Southwest Classic baseball tournament, hosted by Roswell Goddard The Matadors (4-5) scored five in the first, five in the third and six in the fourth, the latter off Romero, who then recovered to keep Sandia at bay the rest of the way. Meantime, the Wildcats (5-5) took the lead with seven runs in the...
RIO RANCHO – After winning its previous three games against Tatum, it appeared the Texico girls basketball team had the edge going into Thursday's Class 2A state semifinal. But the defending champion Lady Coyotes had the more recent postseason experience on their side, and it proved big during a 50-43 win over the second-seeded Lady Wolverines. It may sound strange to cite a lack of playoff experience for Texico, which has won 12 state titles. But coach Jaylyn Cook pointed...
ALBUQUERQUE – It's not how you start, it's how you finish. The Logan boys basketball team learned that the hard way. Second-seeded Fort Sumner shot 77 percent (10-for-13) and went 6-for-6 from the free throw line in the final quarter to conquer top-seeded District 6-1A foe Logan 66-63 on Saturday at The Pit, keeping the Longhorns from winning their second straight Class 1A boys state title. Leading the charge for the Foxes (26-5) was junior guard Jordan Holland, who slashed...
ALBUQUERQUE – Portales High’s boys did their best to keep up with top-seeded and top-ranked Highland. The Rams just didn’t have the firepower. Three players scored 20 or more points as the Hornets raced to a 95-69 win over PHS in a Class 4A state quarterfinal game played on March 11 at The Pit on the campus of the University of New Mexico. Portales (15-14) led for much of the opening stanza, but Highland (25-4) erupted for 55 second-half points to win going away. Senior guard Nico Sanchez led the Hornets with 27...
ALBUQUERQUE – Securing a second consecutive state title was at the forefront for the Texico boys basketball team, but a recently deceased teammate was prominent in the players' and coaches' minds as well. The top-seeded Wolverines (30-2) stormed to a 10-0 lead and cruised to a 58-46 victory on Saturday over sixth-seeded Rehoboth Christian in the Class 2A championship game at The Pit. Amid two-finger gestures during the postgame ceremony – signifying Texico's second...
ALBUQUERQUE – Logan senior guard Desta Rose at last earned a state championship ... with a little help from her friends. Trailing at halftime, the top-seeded Lady Longhorns wore down and rallied past defending champion and third-seeded Roy/Mosquero 48-36 on Saturday in the Class 1A girls basketball final at The Pit, the school's first state girls crown since 2013. A five-year starter at point guard for the Lady Longhorns (27-4), Rose scored more than 2,000 points and...
DALLAS – Eastern New Mexico University’s dreams of a magical postseason run ended suddenly on Saturday. Senior guard Damani Claxton sank a 3-pointer with 3.3 seconds remaining in overtime to lift seventh-seeded St. Mary’s to a 73-70 win over the second-seeded Greyhounds in a South Central Regional quarterfinal tilt on Saturday. ENMU sophomore guard Mo Austin hit a potential game-tying 3-pointer in response, but officials ruled on the court that the shot left his fingertips a fraction of a second late, and they...
The Class 1A state champion Logan girls basketball team boasted five first-team selections in District 6-1A, plus three honorable mentions. The Logan boys team, which finished second at state, had four first-team all-district picks. Tucumcari, fielding its best boys team in years, also had three first-team selections in District 6-2A. All-district selections for area girls and boys basketball teams were announced after the state tournaments concluded over the weekend. First-team selections for the Lady Longhorns were...
Several area senior basketball players, including three from the state runner-up Logan Longhorns, were announced for the annual Red-Green All-Star Games that will be played Friday and Saturday at Rio Rancho Event Center. The selections are made annually by coaches, and the New Mexico High School Coaches Association organizes the games. Practices on Thursday and Friday will be Bernalillo High School or at Lincoln Middle School in Rio Rancho. Among Class 1-2A boys selections, Logan’s Hayden Bruhn, Tucumcari’s Luis...
