The Eastern New Mexico News - Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

New Mexico State police will no longer issue verbal warnings or “cease and desist” orders to businesses that violate the governor’s public health orders. That’s according to Lt. Ramon Terrazas, who informed officers under... — Updated 7/18/2020

Does the governor have the right to make us wear facemasks, stay 6 feet apart and avoid crowds because some people are getting sick and dying from a contagious disease? It’s a fair question. But probably not the most pressing... — Updated 7/11/2020

Josefita Griego wonders if we could have saved Bob Casey. What if a community search party had been organized at 10:30 that Wednesday night when the 83-year-old man was first reported missing? What if more people had known,... — Updated 7/4/2020

Born on a mountain top in Tennessee, the greenest state in the land of the free, he was raised in the woods so’s he knew every tree. And he killed him a bear when he was only 3. Davy, Davy Crockett, was the king of the wild... — Updated 6/30/2020

President Trump has ideas. New Mexico lawmakers do, too. All the politicians have the same goal: Reform police departments so no more George Floyds are killed over allegations of fake $20 bills. How exactly to achieve this goal is... — Updated 6/27/2020

Today we have Facebook. But there was a time when upstanding citizens settled their differences face-to-face. That’s what happened 70 years ago this month when a pair of Quay County law officers engaged in a spirited disagreement... — Updated 6/16/2020

Remember that time, just three years ago, when Clovis Mayor David Lansford told us there was no choice but to raise taxes? That was just so the city could continue operating without cutting services, he said. Thank goodness we don... — Updated 6/13/2020

Our newspaper would never endorse a political candidate who champions big government. There’s a need to be clear about that today because a Republican candidate for Congress recently paid Facebook to link one of our... — Updated 6/13/2020

Insubordinate teenagers dragged Clovis Main Street for at least 50 years. Parents forbid the practice, cops harassed the perpetrators, the city even tried to make up laws to discourage the ritual — nothing worked, until gas... — Updated 6/9/2020

The Hawaiian shirt O’Rion Petty wears as a member of the New Mexico Civil Guard is not a coincidence. He supports the “boogaloo,” an anti-government movement that Fox News and others have described as “on the verge of a... — Updated 6/6/2020

Let us make our own decisions, we said. We can be responsible, we said. And so, just in time for Memorial Day weekend, after two months with much of the state, as well as the nation, in government lockdown, we were essentially... — Updated 6/6/2020

This weekend was supposed to celebrate the region’s trailblazers. The annual Pioneer Days parade, rodeo, reunions and more were scheduled Thursday through Saturday until we were all thrown by the coronavirus. So that makes today... — Updated 6/2/2020

With Election Day scheduled June 2, it’s time to ask candidates a favorite question: What’s the purpose of government? Many are stumped and need a little time to think about it, apparently having never before considered the... — Updated 5/23/2020

Rich, poor, tall, short, masked, unmasked — most of us have one thing in common: We love a good county fair. Let’s hope it happens this year. Curry County commissioners in the next few weeks will have to decide if the COVID-19... — Updated 5/19/2020

PORTALES — When the Heartland Continuing Care Center resident first learned on Friday that she’d tested positive for COVID-19, she was none too happy about it. “She gave us an earful,” Heartland CEO Ranelle Tweedy said of... — Updated 5/19/2020

A few thoughts on the pandemic, the state’s latest directives, and being responsible for ourselves: • The governor on Wednesday announced she’s relaxing more of her public health orders aimed at reducing the spread of... — Updated 5/16/2020

JCPenney on Friday filed for bankruptcy and announced it will “reduce our store footprint to better align our business with the current operating environment.” A company spokesperson declined to say if the Penney’s in... — Updated 5/16/2020

Parmer County’s per-capita rate for COVID-19 cases is well above Texas’ state average. But county officials are not tying those cases to the Cargill meat-processing plant near Friona. “I can’t tell you how many total cases... — Updated 5/15/2020