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Articles written by Gary Mitchell


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  • opinion: a view from under the pew: amos on easter

    Gary Mitchell|Updated Apr 11, 2020

    amos on easter boss it s here exclamation point the greatest time of the year - easter - it s the time for lilies green grass little bunnies and chicks multicolored eggs and bright butterflies symbols of brand-new lives in jesus the messiah sometimes though boss i wonder what that first easter must have been like you know what those bible characters really felt and thought - and how we might have acted in their place would we have understood his act of grace or would we instead have sought to save face question mark boss i...

  • Opinion: A look back at the class of '66

    Gary Mitchell

    Guest columnist When the Statler Brothers sang about the “Class of ‘57,” it was a time of reflection on dreams and the season of one’s life. The same was true this past weekend as more than 100 folks gathered in Clovis from 13 states to celebrate the 50-year reunion of Clovis High School’s Class of 1966. The event happened to be in conjunction with the Clovis Music Festival as well as Clovis High School’s football homecoming game and ceremony. It was all part of the plan, reunion committee members said, but that didn’t mean...

  • Man pleads guilty to involuntary manslaughter

    Gary Mitchell

    Staff report A Portales man involved in a 2009 slaying will serve four years probation after pleading guilty to involuntary manslaughter last week. Martin Silva, 41, had been slated to go to trial Monday before reaching the plea agreement. Court records show Silva was initially charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of 25-year-old Marco Bonilla of Portales. Silva’s trial originally began in May 2015. After a full day of testimony, Judge Drew Tatum declared a mistrial upon learning a forensic expert the state c...

  • Portales man pleads to involuntary manslaughter

    Gary Mitchell

    Staff report A Portales man involved in a 2009 slaying will serve four years probation after pleading to involuntary manslaughter last week. Martin Silva, 41, had been slated to go to trial Monday before reaching the plea agreement. Court records show Silva was initially charged with first-degree murder in the slaying of 25-year-old Marco Bonilla of Portales. Silva’s trial originally began in May 2015. After a full day of testimony, Judge Drew Tatum declared a mistrial upon learning a forensic expert the state called as a w...

  • Wayland graduates 25

    Gary Mitchell

    Staff Writer [email protected] On the heels of retiring from the U.S. Air Force this past April, Demarcus J. Anthony is embarking upon a new chapter in his life — and it’s one that includes efforts to mold and shape young lives. Staff photo: Tony Bullocks Elane Seebo presents graduate Demarcus J. Anthony with his degree during Friday morning graduation ceremony at Central Baptist Church. Anthony was awarded with his Master of Education degree. Seebo is vice president of...

  • Wayland graduates 25

    Gary Mitchell

    Staff Writer [email protected] On the heels of retiring from the U.S. Air Force this past April, Demarcus J. Anthony is embarking upon a new chapter in his life — and it’s one that includes efforts to mold and shape young lives. Staff photo: Tony Bullocks Elane Seebo presents graduate Demarcus J. Anthony with his degree during Friday morning graduation ceremony at Central Baptist Church. Anthony was awarded with his Master of Education degree. Seebo is vice president of...

  • Wayland commencement set for Friday

    Gary Mitchell

    Staff report Wayland Baptist University’s Clovis campus will have something that is both a first, and a second, during its Friday graduation ceremonies at Central Baptist Church. The 10 a.m. ceremony will celebrate the graduations for 25 students through the Clovis campus, located at the Masters Centre. Dean Gary Mitchell noted that Joe Callahan, a pastor for St. John’s Baptist Church will receive the school’s master’s degree of divinity. “He’s going to be the first one to walk on our stage,” Mitchell said. “Damon Pierce was...

  • Pages past —March 6

    Gary Mitchell

    On this date ... 1966: The Clovis High School “Cindermen” had placed second at the Gas Capitol Relays in Jal. Gary Mitchell won the mile in 4:43.4 and finished fifth in the high jump with a leap of 5 feet, 5 inches. Chad Lydick was third in the mile at 4:55.1. 1961: C. R. Nelson, a longtime school teacher who had lived in New Mexico since homesteading here in 1914, died at his home at 826 E. Second St. in Portales. He was 91. Nelson, born in Missouri, taught two years in the Redlake community before moving to Portales. Red...

  • Year in review: CCC celebrated 25th year as independent college

    Gary Mitchell

    and David Stevens Staff writers Enrollment increases, a name change, an anniversary celebration and a cross-town move highlighted 2015 in higher education around eastern New Mexico. Clovis Community College celebrated its 25th year as an independent community college. It celebrated in September, opening a time capsule and remembering its earliest days as a branch of Eastern New Mexico University in 1961 before breaking away in 1990. It’s come a long way since then, University President Becky Rowley said, and has found a u...

  • Year in Review: We're all Hounds now

    Gary Mitchell

    Editor's note: This is one in a series of stories recapping news events in 2015. It will continue through Jan. 1. and David Stevens Clovis Media Inc. Enrollment increases, a name change, an anniversary celebration and a cross-town move highlighted 2015 in higher education around eastern New Mexico. Eastern New Mexico University President Steve Gamble said he’ll remember 2015 as somewhat routine ... in a good way. “I can tell you our biggest accomplishment is continuing to graduate students with a good education and sen...

  • amos the churchmouse: a view from under the pew

    Gary Mitchell

    link Amos the Church Mouse Illustrated by Gary Mitchell Editor's note: Amos is a churchmouse, who types by flinging himself at the computer keyboard, but he can't operate the capital shift, and he shuns punctuation marks – except hyphens and dashes. black friday woes for amos boss i was checking on the specials at sara spider s underground discount store the other day the moment i stepped from my snuggly warm little matchbox i knew the rat race was on crows and magpies were s...

  • Man accused in 2003 killing arraigned

    Gary Mitchell

    link William Hadix Staff writer [email protected] A man accused of killing J.C. Tucker in 2003 was arraigned Monday morning in Judge Fred Van Soelen’s courtroom and remains held without bond at the Curry County jail. William Hadix, 67, pleaded not guilty Monday morning, his defense attorney Gary Mitchell said. “Obviously our plea was made in good faith,” Mitchell said. “Our position is he didn’t do what he’s accused of. We’re at the beginning of our case and our investiga...

  • Editor's notebook — Sept. 29

    Gary Mitchell

    Way to go: Congratulations are in order for author Gary Mitchell, singer Halle Reid and Cadet Derik Todd Kuykendall, all from Clovis. • Mitchell learned over the weekend his collection of Amos the Churchmouse columns is a finalist for honors in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards for 2015. Winners will be announced Nov. 20. • Reid, a Texico High School student, is among three finalists in a contest to sing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas, Nevada. The winner is determined by pop...

  • Editor's notebook

    Gary Mitchell

    Way to go Congratulations are in order for author Gary Mitchell, singer Halle Reid and Cadet Derik Todd Kuykendall, all from Clovis. • Mitchell learned over the weekend his collection of Amos the Churchmouse columns is a finalist for honors in the New Mexico-Arizona Book Awards for 2015. Winners will be announced Nov. 20. • Reid, a Texico High School student, is among three finalists in a contest to sing the National Anthem at the National Finals Rodeo in December in Las Vegas, Nevada. The winner is determined by popular vote...

  • Pages past — Sept. 11

    Gary Mitchell

    On this date ... 1990: Clovis school board members, in an effort to have at least one district with strong minority representation, approved five single-member districts. Board members also discussed the possibility of a tobacco-free school policy, according to a Clovis News Journal report by staff writer Gary Mitchell. link1975: Eastern New Mexico University’s quarterback had a unique way to relax before games. He played pinball. “A teammate and myself went to the same lau...

  • Pages past — Sept. 11

    Gary Mitchell

    On this date ... 1990: Clovis school board members, in an effort to have at least one district with strong minority representation, approved five single-member districts. Board members also discussed the possibility of a tobacco-free school policy, according to a Clovis News Journal report by staff writer Gary Mitchell. 1975: Eastern New Mexico University’s quarterback had a unique way to relax before games. He played pinball. “A teammate and myself went to the same laundry and played the same machine before each home gam...

  • Full house attends Wayland Baptist graduation

    Gary Mitchell

    STAFF WRITER [email protected] link Staff photo: Brittney Cannon Ashley Dawn Allen was among graduates Friday morning from Wayland Baptist University, one of 13 who earned a master’s degree. Almost all of the seats at Central Baptist Church were filled Friday morning with friends and family members waiting eagerly to see the newest graduates from Wayland Baptist University. Graduates were from all different backgrounds — some were active or retired military members, som...

  • Full house attends Wayland Baptist graduation

    Gary Mitchell

    STAFF WRITER [email protected] link Staff photo: Brittney Cannon Ashley Dawn Allen was among graduates Friday morning from Wayland Baptist University, one of 13 who earned a master’s degree. Almost all of the seats at Central Baptist Church were filled Friday morning with friends and family members waiting eagerly to see the newest graduates from Wayland Baptist University. Graduates were from all different backgrounds — some were active or retired military members, som...

  • amos the churchmouse: amos on time

    Gary Mitchell

    Religion columnist amos the churchmouse: a view from under the pew Editor’s note: Amos is a churchmouse who types by hurling himself at the keys, but he can’t use the shift keys, and he shuns punctuation marks – except for hyphens and dashes. amos on time boss you probably already know this but i have a problem with time - not telling time but operating within it i hardly ever get anywhere on time boss my tail either gets caught in a door somewhere or i get sidetracked by a friendly conversation or bushwhacked by some silly...

  • Amos: A view from under the pew

    Gary Mitchell

    link Amos the Church Mouse Illustrated by Gary Mitchell Editor’s note: Amos is a churchmouse, who types by hopping on the computer keyboard, but he can’t operate the capital shift, and he shuns punctuation marks – except hyphens and dashes. the great orange avalanche boss i was minding my own business the other day strolling through the church kitchen when marcellus the ugly ungodly cat scampered across the counter in pursuit of hapless homer hummingbird homer made it safel...

  • A view from under the pew — July 17

    Gary Mitchell

    Editor’s note: Amos is a churchmouse, who types by hopping on the computer keyboard, but he can’t operate the capital shift keys, and he shuns punctuation marks – except dashes and hyphens. trapped by a cheese pizza boss you may have heard by now that i m a marked mouse marcellus the mean nasty mangy ungodly cat has notified the church pew underworld that he has put my name at the head of his black mouse list – his top 10 most wanted rodent chart it seems boss that he thinks i ve been slandering his good name and smearin...

  • Amos: A view from under the pew

    Gary Mitchell

    link Amos the Church Mouse Illustrated by Gary Mitchell Editor’s note: Amos is a churchmouse, who types by hopping on the computer keyboard, but he can’t operate the capital shift keys, and he shuns punctuation marks – except hyphens and dashes. learning english ain t easy boss you may think that speaking writing and learning the english language is the most natural thing in the world but that it ain t for those of us in the church pew underworld two recent events highl...

  • Amos: A view from under the pew

    Gary Mitchell

    link Amos the Church Mouse Illustrated by Gary Mitchell Editor’s note: Amos is a churchmouse, who types by hopping on the computer keyboard keys, but he can’t operate the capital shift, and he shuns punctuation marks – except dashes and hyphens. freddie flea s loving dad boss have i told you how freddie flea became reunited with his father question mark here you remember freddie has had a rather dismal past freddie s father waited lovingly and patiently for his son to come to...

  • Amos: A view from under the pew

    Gary Mitchell

    link Amos the Church Mouse Illustrated by Gary Mitchell Editor’s note: In response to a reader’s request, Amos asked we reprint a favorite column. Amos is a churchmouse, who types by hurling himself at the keys, but he can’t operate the capital shift keys, and he shuns punctuation marks – except dashes and hyphens. amos on perseverance boss i think i might have mentioned this before but life ain t easy under a church pew the heathen alley cats have declared war on me they clim...

  • Amos: A view from under the pew

    Gary Mitchell

    link Amos the Church Mouse Illustrated by Gary Mitchell Editor’s note: Amos is a churchmouse, who types by hurling himself at the keys, but he can’t operate the capital shift keys and he shuns punctuation marks – except hyphens and dashes. a loony encounter boss i know i shouldn t have been out so late last night – sometimes you see strange creatures in the middle of the night on a lark i went with a couple of church pew underworld friends – sammy salamander freddy the flea an...

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