Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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Economic development was among the main issues Thursday as candidates for the March 5 municipal elections gathered for a third forum. Global One Media hosted the most recent two-hour forum at the Clovis-Carver Public Library, with Raymond Mondragon as the moderator for the event. Twelve of the 13 candidates attended, each fielding five questions with just one minute to speak. The only candidate missing from the forum was Josefita Griego, who is seeking the District 4 Commissio...
Crime is on the mind of area residents and political candidates. That was the primary takeaway from the political forum hosted Monday by radio station KTQM. Greg Southard and David Lansford hosted the two-hour event, which featured 12 of the 13 candidates seeking municipal positions in the March 5 election. The only candidate missing from the forum was Mayoral Candidate Misty Bertrand. Candidates pulled questions at random, while also given the option to answer other candidates’ questions with 60 seconds allotted to speak. T...
Molly Hickok said her chocolate lab Mamas has always been a little explorer. She's prone to jumping over the fence at the family home in Melrose. She doesn't usually get far, but that changed around Jan. 22. With her family gone to the store that morning, Mamas scaled the fence and somehow ended up 60 miles from home. Through the combined effort of local animal lovers and social media, she returned home Jan. 23 with a story to tell. Santa Rosa Animal Control Director Crystal T...
With the end of the 30-day legislative session on Thursday and nearly 70 bills awaiting Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s signature, area lawmakers said the session was an up-hill battle for gun rights. “It was a tough session, but I think all in all we got some things done. … We stood up really hard for the Second Amendment rights,” Rep. Jack Chatfield, R-Mosquero, said. Sen. Greg Nibert, R-Roswell, said only four Republican bills made it in the cut. He said though it was supposed to be a budget session, gun-control was the domi...
Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Preston Elkins is the recently appointed Portales city council member for Ward C. Q: What motivated you to apply for city council? Have you run in previous years? Were you planning on running in the next election? A: My motivation to apply for city council was my children; I did not grow up here but I married into a family that did and I want to be able to make a difference in Portales for their future. In the past year or two, there have be...
Highway officials are considering building a bridge to eliminate US 70/84 traffic at the New Mexico and Texas stateline. On Thursday, the Department of Transportation sought the public's perspective of the proposed project to residents who expressed concerns. Department of Transportation officials in Texas and New Mexico have been discussing for months a bridge that would "span the existing railroad line and allow the traveling public to experience continuous traffic flow...
Friday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed a bill known as HB 171 into law, to update graduation requirements in New Mexico for the first time in over a decade. According to the press release from the Office of the Governor, students entering ninth grade in 2025-2026 school will be affected by HB 171. It is stated the goal of the bill is to modernize graduation requirements so that they better align with New Mexico’s workforce and high education landscape. “High school should be about preparing students for the real wor...
From the intricately stitched stars to the vibrant red, white and blue patterns, Vietnam Veteran Jessie Strauch said she was absolutely in shock when her hands ran over her Quilt of Valor. She said memories of her years of service came flooding in when she touched the fabric. The memory of rigorous training drills, the adventure to every new move, and the laughs she often shared with her friends, all came back to Strauch in a "beautifully stitched quilt." Strauch, 73, said...
Clovis’ elected officials should set aside their personal beliefs and work to represent every city resident. That’s what resident Taylor McCoy said Thursday night as she spoke to candidates for the March 5 city election. McCoy spurred discussion on representation of minority groups such as the LGTBQ+ community. About half of the two-hour Curry County Democratic Party forum at Clovis’ La Casa Senior Center was centered around the issue. She said it was “heartbreaking” and she often felt “unrepresented” by the lack of attendanc...
Misty Bertrand Q: What is the purpose of the local government? A: The City Commission and the local government are there to protect the community through the ordinances and regulations. I feel like they should also be the voice of the people by representing our community on that larger level. Q: The city spent part of 2023 on efforts to ban abortion clinics in Clovis’ city limits. Are you interested in continuing that fight? Why or why not? A: I am sick and tired of this fight. This is a fight that has been going on my entire...
As the winter season continues, High Plains Humane Society partners have teamed up with Rezdawg Rescue to protect your pets against deadly infections. High Plains will be hosting a free vaccine clinic, with low-cost microchips, to help provide affordable care to families. The event is scheduled at the Food Bank of Eastern New Mexico on March 2-3. The vaccines are sponsored by Rezdawg Rescue and Mile High Canine Rescue. The clinic will be held in a drive-up fashion from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No appointments are needed. Cash...
Who says "gossip" never benefited anyone? It helped Eleanor Shuler win her second straight Roosevelt County spelling bee on Jan. 18. That was the winning word for the fifth-grader who competed against nine other spellers at Eastern New Mexico University's Buchanan Hall. After finishing 12th in the state spelling bee a year ago, Eleanor said she's had a fire in her stomach to strive higher this year. "The spelling bee means a lot to me because I've put in a lot of work to get...
How do you spell success? For Charles Busija, it's hard work and faith. "When I won, I felt really happy because God led me through and helped me remember everything that I studied," he said. Charles, 11, is Curry County's top speller, having won the annual bee Jan. 19 at Clovis Community College. He competed against 25 other contestants who came from schools throughout the county. It wasn't easy. Charles said as the competition got smaller, and the words became progressively...
Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Sam Kelley was appointed Curry County assessor late last year following the abrupt resignation of Randa Jesko. Q: What are your plans now that you're county assessor? Are changes coming? A: My immediate plans are to take the greatest office staff I've ever worked with and have them recognized throughout the state. As far as local changes, we are always looking for ways to make the process...
Enamored by their stoic personality and versatility within the ranch, owner of Windrush Alpaca Ranch Rosemary Metcalf said she fell in love with alpacas as soon as she saw them in a farm journal. Metcalf said alpacas are not your everyday livestock, but the adventure in taking care of them is an experience she wouldn’t trade for the world. “The beautiful thing about alpacas is their gentle and very stoic personalities … They’re very low maintenance and I loved the versatility of the alpaca fiber provided,” Metcalf said. Win...
He was a dedicated leader. A friend of the community. A mentor to those who sought his guidance. That's how friends and family described former Portales Mayor Ronald Jackson, who died Wednesday evening. "He was dedicated. Ron was the type of guy who would go out of his way to help anyone and everyone. ... He always made friends easily," Jackson's brother, Roger Jackson said. Ron Jackson, 63, died at a hospital in Lubbock. Roger said his brother's medical condition had been...
Editor's note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Michael Brockett is the Curry County sheriff. Q: How is the crime business in the county these days? Seeing anything unusual, any trends? A: We are currently experiencing an increase in crimes of opportunity. Thieves are actively searching out unlocked vehicles and businesses and are taking advantage of what they find. I urge county residents and businesses to make sure they are locking up...
Portales Animal Services is hosting a free vaccination and registration clinic from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at the Memorial Building parking lot. Portales Community Services Director Kelly McClellan said the city received a grant, in the form of vaccine shots, by Petco Love for free pet vaccinations to community-owned pets. She said she’s hopeful Portales can host a similar event once a month. “Parvo season starts when the weather starts heating up and we are at the tail-end, hopefully, of a distemper outbreak, so we are...
The city of Portales will be looking into introducing a new water efficiency plan (WEP) and establishing a water advisory committee by February. That’s what area residents heard Thursday at a community meeting at the Memorial Building. City Manager Sarah Austin said the plan is being developed to provide the city with a framework for coordinating a response to water supply/production emergencies, including droughts and infrastructure or equipment failures. “The purpose of the WEP is to establish an effective and sys...
The man accused of starting the Clovis Walmart fire on Sept. 3 has been indicted on federal charges of arson and attempted arson, officials said. Ninth Judicial District Attorney Quentin Ray said Friday he has dismissed state charges so that Jimmy Guillen, 59, can be prosecuted under federal law. “They have a higher range of punishment and I think a different system may work better if there are any defenses that the defendant tries to bring up,” Ray said. Under state law, Guillen faced up to 25 ½ years in prison if conv...
Results from the statewide wastewater testing at New Mexico schools have been published on the governor's website. But local school officials said the results announced Tuesday leave them with more questions than answers. Testing for opioids and stimulants within schools' sewage water began in October, as part of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's recent public health order on drugs. "While we applaud what are surely good intentions on the part of the state, and we are always...
From operating heavy machinery to saving motorists in car crashes, Clovis High School students last week got a peek at everyday jobs through virtual reality. Clovis High School Principal David Fredericks said the goal of the Be Pro, Be Proud event was to provide insight and resources for students to prepare them for a future career. "I want our kids to see a wide variety, so that they have more knowledge with what they can be and see what careers actually exist within our...
Drawn inside due to freezing temperatures, Clovis and Portales-area residents on Monday celebrated civil rights and diversity on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In Clovis, the day began with an outdoor ceremony at Potter Park. About 20 celebrants braved 18-degree temperatures next to memorials of King and his wife Coretta Scott King in the city park. The event was originally planned as a march from Potter Park east on Seventh Street to Legacy Life Church at Seventh and Main...
New Mexico’s legislative session kicks off a 30-day run Tuesday with a focus on budget issues. But local lawmakers expect the Second Amendment and crime rates will also be hot topics of conversation and possibly new legislation. Rep. Andrea Reeb, R-Clovis, said she expects age limits to purchase guns, waiting periods for gun buys and guns in polling places will be among issues addressed before the session ends on Feb. 15. “The primary focus is going to be, besides the budget, the Second Amendment and gun control,” Reeb said....
Rosemary Metcalf said she never had a barn cat while growing up in England. Now that she has a ranch in Clovis, she said she can't imagine them out of her life. Barn cats aren't just "tools" to protect the property; they are family, she said. "I don't consider any animal a tool. They are a living, breathing creature. They serve a purpose with rodent control, but at the end of the day they need to be cared for," said Metcalf, whose Windrush Alpaca Ranch is home to six barn cats...
