Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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Incumbents Terry Martin and Paul Cordova kept their positions on the Clovis Municipal Schools board of directors following Tuesday's elections. Martin defeated challenger Nathan Mccreery, 144-93, in the race for the District 5 seat. "First, I want to say all honor to God," Martin told The News on Tuesday night. "I want to thank the people in the district for coming out to vote. They know that I've been around, and they trust my judgment so, you know, (I'm) giving honor to God...
Local second-graders now have one more book to read, thanks to the Rotary Club of Clovis. Rotary member Calvin DeWitt said the books cost about $3,800. The Rotary Club gave 670 books as a part of a grant that partially covers some of the costs from Rotary International. Prior to July 1, there were two Rotary clubs in Clovis: Clovis High Plains Rotary Club and Rotary Club of Clovis. The two clubs merged and are now called the Rotary Club of Clovis; this was their first project...
The news of Matthew Perry's passing saddened many over the last week, and that includes local officials who were able to meet the actor at a drug-abuse conference 10 years ago. District Judge Donna Mowrer, Brian Ford, court probation officer, and Robbie Telles, a captain with the Clovis Police Department all attended the National Association of Drug Court Professionals conference in 2013 where the "Friends" actor spoke. "He was just a very big supporter of what treatment... Full story
A presidential profile has been approved by the Clovis Community College Board of Trustees. At their regular meeting Wednesday, trustees discussed the profile, which will go up on the website for candidates to look at when considering applying for the job of president. “It addresses all of our concerns, all of our wants or needs for the presidential profile,” Chair Lora Harlan said. According to the profile, “The next President of Clovis Community College will lead and demonstrate an established record of building conse... Full story
Efforts to remove state laws passed this summer regarding health care continue for a New Mexico group. The laws in question -- House Bills 4, 7 and 207 along with Senate Bills 13, 180 and 397. HB-7 and SB-13 -- work in tandem, and deal with reproductive and gender-affirming health care and reproductive health provider protections. Larry Marker, a Chaves County resident and petitioner, has been going across the state to spread the word about efforts for a referendum that would allow voters the option of eliminating the laws. ... Full story
For the first time since 2000, the Professional Armed Forces World Championship Rodeo will be held in Clovis. Close to 300 competitors are expected to participate in the rodeo at the Curry County Events Center from Thursday through Saturday. Events Center General Manager K.C. Messick said he is excited about this rodeo making its way back to the place it all started. “The organization was founded in 2000 and they did the very first PAFRA rodeo here and then they left,” Messick said. “They went to Texas, Oklahoma, even ended u...
Well, it’s officially baby month, and the countdown is on. I feel like I’ve been saying that for a while, but now that I’m at 37 weeks, it’s starting to feel real. What’s even crazier to think about is I’m not sure if I’ll have another one of these pregnancy journey columns to write … if my baby girl decides to come early or a little late, I guess we’ll see. Nesting has been a successful process thus far. Everything is pretty much ready. Her room is complete, her bassinet is set up, our hospital bags are packed, and the car s...
Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Kaye Green is the chief executive officer for Roosevelt General Hospital in Portales. Q: Please update us on the financial status of the hospital? Is it getting any better? A: Yes, RGH's financial position has significantly improved thanks to all staff and departments working collaboratively to reduce costs along with downsizing the workforce to more closely align with our current demand and...
Amid recent water restrictions in Portales, the city council on Tuesday voted to utilize engineering services that would prepare an overall water system study. City Manager Sarah Austin told the council that Wilson and Company, one of the engineers the city has on call, would prepare the study. The cost will be just over $153,000 and will come out of the city's wastewater fund. "I think we need an independent study on this," Councilor Michael Miller said. "I think we need...
The Portales City Council on Tuesday moved one step forward in securing a Safe Haven baby box for the city. Council members had an in-depth discussion with City Attorney Steve Doerr on some of the legal language required for getting a baby box in New Mexico. Doerr wanted to address concerns he had with the council on the New Mexico Safe Haven for Infants Act. The document he went over is New Mexico statute; what governs and regulates having a baby box in New Mexico. Some of the language Doerr wanted to make sure the council...
Early voting continues through Nov. 4 across the region for multiple school district and municipal board seats. Election Day is Nov. 7. Local ballots also include three tax questions, for voters in school districts in Dora, Portales and Texico. All are continuation of taxes voters have previously approved, superintendents said. In Portales, the tax levy – if approved -- will continue to be used to “purchase new computers, chrome books, smart projectors, cameras, IT infrastructure, infrastructure for WiFi, network infrastructu...
A new regional emergency air transport service is set to launch Tuesday at Roosevelt General Hospital. AeroCare 12 will service eastern New Mexico communities with its primary focus being Roosevelt and Curry counties. In a statement from AeroCare, the Bell 407 helicopter “allows rapid transport from rural communities to tertiary healthcare facilities in Lubbock, Amarillo and Albuquerque.” This new addition is to provide the deployment and transport of critically ill or injured patients at a much faster response time, acc...
Portales and Roosevelt County could see three new businesses soon, according to the Roosevelt County Community Development Corp. Jodi Diaz, executive director for RCCDC, told county commissioners Tuesday that one of the three potential new neighbors is closer to making it final than the others. “The one that we are very close, we are all the way down to waiting on a contract,” Diaz said. “… (I)t is retail, but aimed at ag and kind of rural agriculture.” Diaz declined to name the businesses, but said the other two were in t...
Doug Pfaffenberger Q: What made you decide to run for the school board? A: As a parent and as a spouse of someone that works in the school district, I want to see a different direction that things are going and see if I could help to maybe guide it in a different direction. Q: How are you qualified? A: I’ve run my own business for 20 years, and I kind of see a school board as basically the managers of a big business. You want to create a good work atmosphere. Obviously, you need to budget, and you want to put out a good p...
In three days, I’ll officially be one month out from my due date. This week marks week 35, and it’s all starting to feel real. Apparently baby girl is as big as a pineapple this week. It doesn’t feel like she’s nearly that big, but I always forget how she’s probably pretty crunched up in there. She’s just a little over 5 pounds and about 18 inches long. While the last few months have been super productive and we’ve been able to get things ready, I still feel like I have a million things to do. If only I could get up and ge...
Making cancer a top priority is something one Clovis native has dedicated much of his time and effort into. George Barber, 54, recently returned from a trip to Washington, D.C., to represent the state at the annual American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network Leadership Summit and Lobby Day. "We were just there to remind them the need for these bills for cancer in general, whatever cancer," Barber said. A survivor of colon cancer for 14 years, Barber said he and four other...
A search committee has been approved to help Clovis Community College in its efforts to hire a new president. Marcus Smith was selected as a liaison between CCC and ACCT, the firm hired to lead the search. Smith is the dean of Student Services/Government Relations for CCC. “I believe this is an excellent choice for all concerned,” Trustees Chair Lora Harlan said. The person in this position needs to be an administrator that can be a “voice for the campus,” according to Harlan. They are to help with logistics, communi...
Portales Fire Chief TJ Cathy is hoping to enter into a contract with the Roosevelt County Commission on providing services outside city limits. Cathy presented to the Portales City Council on Tuesday, asking for its approval to present to the county on why he believes Portales Fire Department is the best option for providing these services. "It will help the overall system," Cathy said. Last fiscal year, Cathy reported PFD responded to 683 calls outside city limits, which is 1...
Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local school board candidates. For the Clovis School Board, in District 5, Nathan McCreery is challenging incumbent Terry Martin, the board president. Nathan McCreery Q: What made you decide to run for the school board? A: I made the decision to run for school board because the things that I’m seeing in our schools are not the direction I think we need to head as a community. Q: How are you qualified? A: I have run a small business in Clovis since 1978. I w...
Editor's note: Reporter Landry Sena is a Melrose native and the daughter of former Melrose Superintendent Jamie Widner. Melrose is home to one of the oldest school buildings in New Mexico that's still in operation. But demolition may be drawing near. Superintendent Brian Stacy held a community forum Tuesday evening to discuss the status of the buildings on the school campus and possible monies available from the Public Schools Capital Outlay Council. Area residents expressed...
The Roosevelt County Commission on Tuesday passed an ordinance it says would challenge the governor, should she ever try to enforce a law the county did not want to enforce. “It gives Roosevelt the chance to say we're not going to enforce an unconstitutional mandate,” Roosevelt County Attorney Michael Garcia said. Larry Marker, a Chaves County resident, told commissioners the ordinance means: “If she comes down and challenges the ordinance, then the governor must presume that you guys acted within the law. And then she's...
A new president for Clovis Community College is set to be announced in early April with the help of ACCT Searches, the company that was hired last month to assist CCC trustees in the search. Chair Lora Harlan on Wednesday went over the process outlined by ACCT. “ACCT has been very diligent, and they've done this enough times,” Harlan said. “They know about how long it needs to take to go from one step to another.” Harlan said the next step will be to have a special meeting in mid-October to approve the search committ...
The Clovis City Commission on Thursday approved employee pay increases. City Manager Justin Howalt said the process to make this possible has lasted a couple of years. “We have been working hard to get our compensations within the correct range based off the market,” Howalt said. Over the last several years, the city has increased the ranges for each position, according to Howalt. While this did move each salary forward, Howalt said the downside of increasing pay is that it created some compression within the salary ran...
Clovis Fire Chief Mike Nolen had high praise for firefighters who battled the Sept. 3 blaze at Walmart. “The personnel in my department performed as well as anybody ever has. I am so proud,” Nolen told city commissioners at Thursday’s meeting. Crews from Pleasant Hill, Farwell, Texico, Ranchvale, Grady, Broadview, Melrose, Portales and Bovina also helped extinguish the fire Walmart officials estimated caused $42 million in damages. Nolen said it was a major challenge, and not something anyone could really be prepared for....
Today’s daily fact: my baby’s thumb is the size of a jelly bean. How are we already at 33 weeks? That’s only like … seven more weeks to go. It’s hard to believe this 4-pound baby will be earth side and in my arms so soon. Apparently week 33 of pregnancy is a good time to start packing my hospital bag. Because this is my first time doing this whole thing, I’m not sure what’s really needed and what’s not. Just like everything else, there are a lot of gadgets and gizmos out there that can be overwhelming for a first-time mom. So...
