Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities
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DURANT, Okla. — Senior quarterback Drew Beard ran for 231 yards and two touchdowns and threw for 295 yards and three scores Saturday night, setting a school and Lone Star Conference single-game total offense record in the process, to lift Southeastern Oklahoma past Eastern New Mexico University 45-21 in an LSC crossover football game. Southeastern, playing its season opener, piled up 568 yards in handing the Greyhounds (0-2) their fifth consecutive loss dating to last season and denying veteran ENMU coach Bud Elliott his 2...
PNT Sports LAKEWOOD, Colo. — Sophomore forward Johnathan Holman collected two goals and an assist Friday as Eastern New Mexico stayed unbeaten in its first season of competition with a 4-1 victory over Colorado Christian. Keith Vargas scored unassisted in the fourth minute to put the Greyhounds (2-0-1) in front, and Holman then assisted on a goal by Donnell Jackson for a 2-0 advantage. Holman added a pair of goals before the Cougars (0-1) got on the board on a goal from Chris Royer. ENMU’s women (2-1) also posted a 4-1 win... Full story
FLOYD — Floyd’s Bryan Johnson didn’t have a particularly good second half throwing the ball Saturday, going just 2-for-11. It didn’t really matter, though — the senior quarterback went 7-for-7 in the first half, including three for scores, and the Broncos cruised past defending six-man state champion Tatum 59-20. Junior running back Jerrod Long rushed for 227 yards and four scores for Floyd (2-0). Long also caught a pair of TD tosses from Johnson, including one for the only score for either side after halftime. “We just...
GRADY — The Grady Lady Bronchos rallied from two games down to edge Elida 18-25, 20-25, 25-11, 27-25, 17-15 Saturday afternoon. It was the third match in three days for the Lady Tigers (2-1), who beat San Jon in four games on the road on Thursday and then knocked off House 25-19, 25-16, 25-20 at home on Friday. Elida coach Darrell Chenault said Saturday’s match was a classic. “I told the girls it’s better to play a (match) like that than (one) where you don’t get up for,” he said. “Our mental errors probably hurt us more...
El Paso Faith Christian scored the game’s final 52 points Friday and the Lions roared to an 82-52 win over Faith Triumphant in the Conquerors’ home football opener. Junior running back Steven Lopez accounted for nine touchdowns for Faith Christian, including four in a third-quarter rally which turned a 52-44 halftime deficit into a 74-52 lead. Senior quarterback Luis McCain ran for one touchdown and threw for five others, four of them to junior Caleb Richards, for the Conquerors (0-2), who lost at El Paso Jesus Chapel 85-... Full story
Lisa Morrow of Clovis smokes as she studies for her real estate exam Thursday night at Dave’s Coffee Shop. Morrow, who does not smoke in her house, was at Dave’s so she could study and smoke. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Project Reader Reaction A recent Project: Reader Reaction question asked about Clovis Mayor David Lansford’s proposal to ban smoking in all the city’s public-access buildings. Some responses: “I AM IN FAVOR of it. The only way smoking should be allowed in a restaurant is to have a sealed room so the smoke and sm...
BLACKWATER DRAW — Early on, the Tularosa Wildcats had Portales High on its heels. But they weren’t able to deliver a knockout punch, and Rams senior quarterback Tyler Rutherford took over in the second half to lead Portales to a 33-12 win on Friday night at Greyhound Stadium. Rutherford ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries, and completed 9-of-20 passes for 126 yards and a score. He came out late in the game with a bruised hip after getting blindsided by a Wildcats defender, but he and Rams coach Glenn Joh...
If you want a spring garden blooming with flowers and green lawn grass now is the time to get digging, experts say. It may seem like it is too early to be thinking about a spring garden, but experts say the fall is the best time to plant. “I think fall is the best time (to plant) because the ground temperature is still really warm and the days and nights are cool and the plants take better and are less stressed,” said Traci Franklin, nursery manager at Hamilton Nurseries for three years. Charles Guthals, who owns Guthals wit...
The next couple of weeks are going to bring an annual transformation to the streets of Clovis, especially the area around Main Street. It's a transformation that is near and dear to my heart. I am talking about the annual arts festival, which we have only had for three years but is an awesome event, reminding us that the talent around here need not take a backseat to that in Santa Fe, Taos or Albuquerque. I know it is three years because I had to unexpectedly miss the first one, which I was pretty excited about, and some...
Tom Difrancesca: Internet Safari H ave you heard of “The Clovis Experiment”? It’s an endeavor to locate and catalog every single Web site that is associated with Clovis. That my friends is a massive endeavor, even for a small community. As the directory is built and the activated links are provided, one will not only have access to commercially built Web sites, but those of non-profit organizations, local government, and also personal Web pages. Another unique aspect of the project is that it will even provide links to Web si... Full story
•••Anniversaries Dickson John and Margie Dickson of Clovis, celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on Sept. 3, 2004. The couple was married on Sept. 3, 1954, in Clovis. They have three children, Delynda Hendricks (and husband, Jodie), Johanna Treat (Mike) and Jeff Dickson; 11 grandchildren, Brian, Laura, Margie, Micah, Rachel, Rick, Alexa, John Cole, Dakota, Montana, Aspen and one great-grandchild, Daed. The celebration was hosted by their children and grandchildren. He is a retired banker. She is a homemaker. •••Engagemen... Full story
CNJ editorial T he five-page salary report in today’s paper unveils no huge treasure chest of new informa- tion. It mostly illuminates the usual. However, the findings also tell us that women in many local leadership roles ranked among the top 50 public wage-earners — about half — from the five public institutions we reviewed for 2003. And we get a glimpse at who earns what extra perks, how some feel about their pay in relation to their duties, and how a few people earn more than their bosses. The public records revie...
Letters to the editor I read with disbelief and anger about Clovis Mayor David Lansford’s proposal to ban smoking in public buildings, including restaurants in Clovis. Shame on him! I then read the editorial in Thursday’s paper and say, “Bravo. Bravo News Journal!” It’s about time someone stood up and said enough is enough! If memory serves me correctly, the first country to ban tobacco, alcohol and firearms was run by a man named Adolph Hitler. Is Mayor Lansford sure he wants to follow in those footsteps? We have become a...
Letters to the editor The subject of what to do with Hotel Clovis has been a discussion for many years now. We have had various groups trying to get it so that they might restore it to its former glory. Problem: None of them have had enough financial backing, and would more than likely leave the job unfinished. That would result in our historical landmark becoming more of an eyesore and a sore spot. Solution: Can anyone say casino? Yes, casino. The Indian Nation has been expanding their casinos off of reservations across...
District Judge Stephen Quinn enjoys mending fences. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) For 15 years, Judge Stephen Quinn has presided over a myriad of cases in 9th Judicial District Court. Boredom, he said, is as rare as the steaks at a cattlemen’s banquet. “It’s never dull,” said Quinn, who said he often works 50- or 60-hour weeks. Quinn was the highest paid state employee in Curry County in 2003, earning $86,896, according to records obtained by the Clovis News Journal. He presides over criminal, civil, probate and guardia... Full story
Gloria Mares has worked for the school system for 28 years. She said most custodians leave because they cannot adjust to the once-a-month pay. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Adriana Corrales has gotten used to the screaming, the kicking and the obscenities. The booking clerk at the Curry County Adult Detention Center works about 30 feet from the detox tank and about 20 feet from two holding cells. When she first started, the mentally ill patients bothered her. They couldn’t always control their bladders and needed to be watched c...
Twila Rutter-Wooley, the Curry County grant writer and grant administrator, talks with Curry County Manager Geneva Cooper during a meeting Wednesday at the Curry County courthouse. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) Twila Rutter-Wooley is a Clovis native who once left the community to become a stockbroker. She spent three years in Denver and three more in Japan, where she also taught English to Japanese stockbrokers. For the last 10 years, she’s been a Curry County employee and plans to make a career of what she calls the best job i...
Becky Rowley: Still teachers an English class. Becky Rowley has been on both sides of the fence — a nine-month faculty member and now a top administrator. The Clovis Community College executive vice president is second in the administrative hierarchy behind President Beverlee McClure. She’s also No. 2 on Curry County’s public official salary list, behind only McClure, according to records from the 2003 calendar year. McClure earned $149,342 last year. Rowley made $107,337. Rowley oversees all instruction at the college, inclu...
Matthew Seltzer, band director at Yucca Junior High School, directs the band during class Wednesday at the school. (staff photo: Eric Kluth) While Clovis schools’ administrators are making more money than the teachers working for them, one teacher said that doesn’t bother him. “I think, if anything, all of us need to be compensated more for our work,” said second-year Yucca Junior High music teacher Matthew Seltzer. Seven administration personnel at Clovis Municipal Schools were among the 25 highest paid public employe...
Mike Linn: CNJ news editor Taxpayer-bought automobiles, free memberships to Gym X and tuition waivers are the main incentives — besides paychecks and benefits — for public employees working in Curry County. Most of Curry County’s high-ranking public employees drive in cars paid for by the public agency they serve. City and county officials serving in management, officials with the street and road departments, and many on-call employees get to take vehicles home. However, the privilege comes with a price: City and count...
"We need to add police and firefighters and we need to add sanitation workers to speed trash pickup, and employees to do upkeep on our alleys." Raymond Mondragon, city manager Clovis officials say overtime and longevity are the most important factors in determining the size of employees’ salaries. Assistant City Finance Director Leighann Melancon said, under the city’s salary model, employees get raises based on annual evaluation scores. Raises are in given percentages, so those with higher base salaries can receive hig... Full story
Editor’s note: A summary of benefits offered employees of Curry County’s public entities: City of Clovis The city offers its employees three health-insurance plans, life insurance and two retirement plans. The city pays between 61 percent and 84 percent of health insurance depending on the plan chosen. Dental and vision coverage cost extra. The city pays 100 percent of life insurance premiums. Like most retirement plans, the city and the employee each pay a percentage of the employee’s salary to the fund. The city offers two...
From the first day of classes to the last day of finals — and the hot summers in between — top-level educators in Curry County are charged with running our schools. They sit atop education’s vast pyramid, and are the highest-paid public servants in Curry County, earning more than most city, county and state employees, according to salary records obtained by the Clovis News Journal for 2003. The records show 20 of the 25 highest-paid public officials in the county last year worked for Clovis Community College or Clovi... Full story
He flashed wads of cash, was quick to speak his mind, and his auto-salvage yard was guarded by a feisty mule. By all accounts, J.C. Tucker was a colorful character. That may have been what got him killed. Tucker, 67, was found dead in his office at Tucker Auto Sales a year ago Saturday. Police said he was shot three times. His left-front pocket was picked clean of the cash he always carried. One year later, the homicide remains unsolved. Sheriff Roger Hatcher said there is little physical evidence from the crime scene and...
The cause of death of a Clovis railroad worker moving a tank car is still under investigation, according to city and railroad officials. Glen A. “Skip” York II, 26, an employee with Burlington Northern and Santa Fe rail yard, was killed Thursday afternoon by a derailed rail car, according to a Clovis Police Department report. Jonathan Anderson, 20, the engine’s co-operator, told police he and York were on the catwalk on the west end of the engine’s tank car when the accident occurred, according to the report. The tank ca...
