Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Articles from the April 22, 2020 edition


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  • Portales man sentenced to 20 years

    The Staff of The News|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    PORTALES — A Portales man involved in a homicide last April was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison, according to a release from the Ninth Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Korbin Baldridge, 20, pleaded guilty in February to conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery. According to the release: • On April 7, 2019, Portales police officers were dispatched to a residence where they found Adam Holts’ body inside a trailer, shot multiple times. • Manuel Silva, 23, and B...

  • Portales couple accused in furniture heist

    The Staff of The News|Updated Apr 23, 2020

    A Portales couple is charged in connection with more than $20,000 worth of furniture and home décor officials say has gone missing from Ashley’s Homestore since June. Darius VonSchriltz, 25, was arrested Tuesday in Las Cruces, charged with larceny over $20,000, retaining stolen property over $20,000 and multiple counts of disposing of stolen property, court records show. Kekoa VonSchriltz, 24, identified in court records as Darius’ husband, is charged with retaining/possessing stolen property over $20,000. He was also arreste...

  • COVID-19 victim was 'a man of values'

    David Stevens - Staff|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    TUCUMCARI — Warren Frost called him “the consummate farmer and rancher, always on the cutting edge of new developments.” Thom Moore said he was “a man of values. Just an upstanding citizen. A huge supporter of rural eastern New Mexico.” And Lance Adkins said, “He was solid gold. I can’t believe he’s gone.” By all accounts, eastern New Mexico lost one of its finest citizens early Saturday following his diagnosis with coronavirus. Paul Quintana, 76, was hospitalized in Tampa, Florida, after contracting COVID-19 on a cru...

  • Opinion: Rabbits, a monkey and the Good Shepherd

    Joan Clayton|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    Editor's note: Joan Clayton's column appeared weekly in the Portales News-Tribune from 1993 to 2014. This one was published Jan. 11, 2007. I believe animals are gifts from God and where would we be without them? I am always amazed when I read Genesis 2:19. God formed all the animals and brought them to Adam for a name and whatever he named them that was the name. Living near the edge of Portales has brought many exciting animal adventures through the years. When we first...

  • Clovis approves public health order resolution

    Kevin Wilson - Staff|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    CLOVIS — The Clovis City Commission met quickly Tuesday afternoon, approving a resolution urging Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to reconsider public health orders that have shuttered local small businesses and non-profits during the COVID-19 pandemic. The resolution, approved by a 6-2 vote, asks the governor to consider an “immediate modification of public health orders to restore functioning parts of our local economy that do not endanger public health, proliferate innovation into our workforce and businesses and support the...

  • United Way creates fund

    the Staff of The News|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    CLOVIS — With the help of a pair of local sponsors, the United Way of Eastern New Mexico’s board of directors has created a COVID-19 recovery fund for Curry and Roosevelt counties. The fund has started with $15,000 in donations — $10,000 from New Mexico Bank and Trust and $5,000 from Pattern Energy — and is accepting individual donations online and by mail. The dollars will help the United Way support partner agencies challenged by the pandemic, directly assist elderly and disabled residents and families affected by layoffs...

  • Water authority to consider contract

    the Staff of The News|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    CLOVIS — The Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority will consider renewal of its contract with the Ute Reservoir when it meets Thursday afternoon. The 3 p.m. meeting at the Sitterly Professional Center is virtual due to public health orders on mass gatherings. The meeting can be joined by conference call at 716-293-9726, followed by 605-472-5736 and access code 716009. Chair David Lansford has said throughout negotiations he hoped to secure a 10-year agreement with rates of $1 per acre foot of reserved water kept in p...

  • Jail log - April 22

    Updated Apr 21, 2020

    Booked The following were booked into local jails (Friday - Tuesday): Clovis ∞ Johnny Vigil, 27, possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon ∞ Brenton Hager, 36, probation violation, out of state fugitive ∞ April Lucero, 34, failure to appear on a felony charge ∞ Rebecca Sotelo, 42, burglary of a vehicle ∞ Dereke Hall, 37, burglary of a vehicle ∞ Britini Chavez, 37, receiving/transferring stolen motor vehicles ∞ Sabrina Hutchinson, 26, false imprisonment ∞ Michael Hutchinson, 28, battery against a household mem...

  • ENMU sports roundup - April 22

    the Staff of The News|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    ENMU promotes Acosta to senior woman administrator PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico University has promoted Elizabeth Acosta to senior woman administrator, according to a release from the college. The position is the highest ranking female position in an athletic department, created in 1981 by the NCAA to promote meaningful representation of women in the leadership and management of college sports. Athletic Director Matt Billings recently named Elizabeth Acosta as the Senior Woman Administrator for the department. ...

  • Opinion: Pandemic may show us who we are

    Tom McDonald|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    History doesn’t repeat itself, someone once said, but it often rhymes. There have been plenty of comparisons lately between our modern-day predicament and the Spanish flu of 1918-1920, and for good reason. If we can learn from that historic pandemic, maybe we can avoid making some of the same mistakes. Of course, the circumstances are very different now — and that’s to our advantage. In 1918, a killer influenza virus hit in the middle of World War I, a terrible conflict that raged between 1914 and 1918 and killed an estim...

  • Opinion: Listening how we begin to talk to each other

    Curtis Shelburne|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    A language problem. We have a language problem, writes geriatric psychiatrist Dr. Marc Agronin in the Wall Street Journal, which is “Why It’s So Hard to Talk to Your Parents About the Coronavirus.” We don’t want hard times, struggles, and suffering. But one thing they do for us is bring to the surface truths that we already deeply or instinctively knew were lurking just barely underwater. Then we wonder why we didn’t see that hidden, but real, fact all along. This generatio...

  • Opinion: Cutting off the WHO is the wrong response

    Updated Apr 21, 2020

    President Donald Trump is not wrong to question the World Health Organization’s early response to the emerging coronavirus outbreak and its apparent deference to what we now know were false assurances by Chinese officials about the seriousness of the outbreak. But Trump is wrong to use these otherwise legitimate concerns as an excuse to cut off U.S. contributions to the international health agency until it can satisfy his demand for answers and undertake fundamental structural reforms. As Trump may have noticed, the WHO is p...

  • Opinion: Government likely to make itself hero

    Kent McManigal|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    What have you learned from the coronapocalypse so far? Has it changed you? The experience has shown me where my preparedness was good and where I could make improvements. I discovered the need for some supplies I hadn’t considered before. I’ll work to fix those areas, but it’s hard to prepare for everything when you can’t know what “everything” might include. Next time could be completely different. I have become more appreciative of the freedom to simply be around othe...

  • Opinion: Floral medication just what doctor ordered

    Betty Williamson|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    How does one host a service club fundraiser during a global pandemic? Carefully. Very, very carefully. That’s the plan when the Kiwanis Club of Portales hosts its annual flower sale Saturday morning in the parking lot of C & S Inc. at 300 W. First St. in Portales. Portales Kiwanian Anthony Schroeder said when the club picked the date for this annual ritual, it was well before any restrictions were in place. The traditional petunias and geraniums were ordered and paid for in a...

  • Survey shows uncertainty among businesses, employees

    the Staff of The News|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    CLOVIS — Businesses and employees surveyed locally have their own reasons, but they all share uncertainty as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. The Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce discussed a pair of surveys during its board meeting last week — one covering area businesses and a second on employees. The survey of 149 local businesses was taken between March 26 and April 3. Of those surveyed, 30% reported revenue decreases of 90% or more, and more than half had at least a 50% decrease. The businesses had laid off or fur...

  • Opinion: Clayton showed her faith in stories

    David Stevens - Staff|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    Joan Clayton wrote nine books, hundreds of articles for magazines and anthologies, 13 essays for the “Chicken Soup for the Soul” series and — as many faithful readers probably know — more than 1,000 religion columns for this newspaper. She never got paid for the newspaper columns. “I don’t write for money,” she said. “I write for Jesus.” It’s important to note she did not preach about her religion in those newspaper reports. Instead, she showed us her faith through her stories. That was way better. Clayton started writing aft...

  • Chamber members weigh in during Zoom meeting

    Peter Stein|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    It wasn't exactly Network's Peter Finch yelling out the window, "We're mad as hell and we're not going to take this anymore!" But New Mexico Chamber of Commerce members did get to express their concerns and frustrations about coronavirus-related shutdowns and restrictions Monday morning - not Network style, but civilly and with the help of Zoom. Curry and Roosevelt counties were among 40 chambers throughout the state that participated in Monday's Zoom meeting with Lt. Gov....

  • Harley dealership closing

    the Staff of The News|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    CLOVIS — The High Plains Harley-Davidson dealership in Clovis is closing, according to a post on its Facebook page Tuesday morning. “Unfortunately the time has come to close High Plains Harley-Davidson and combine with Champion Harley-Davidson in Roswell,” the post from operators Crystal and Jimmy Allison reads. An employee at the store on East Mabry Drive said the business’ last day would be April 30. It’s been closed except for repairs and service and online sales due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Facebook post repo...

  • Curry County: One size does not fit all

    Kevin Wilson - Staff|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    CLOVIS — After approximately 45 minutes of discussion on how and why to send the strongest message possible to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, the Curry County Commission approved a resolution seeking a modification of public health orders for businesses to reopen with safeguards as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Before and after the 5-0 vote, commissioners agreed letters from the commission and business owners would also be needed to get the message across on how public health orders have devastated small businesses with s...

  • Pages past - April 22

    Updated Apr 21, 2020

    On this date ... 1970: White's, at 421 Main St. in Clovis, was geared up for summer. Self-propelled lawn mowers were as low as $77. A riding mower was $244. Lawn rakes were 33 percent off at 66 cents each and outdoor brooms went for $1.33. White's customers who used the EZE-charge credit plan could take months to pay. Pages Past is compiled by David Stevens. Contact: [email protected] For more regional history, see the website: pagespast.net...

  • Cargill employee tests positive for COVID-19

    the Staff of The News|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    FRIONA — Cargill Meat Solutions officials on Monday confirmed an employee at its Friona facility has tested positive for COVID-19. Due to privacy laws, the company gave no information on the employee other than to say the employee was receiving appropriate medical care and remains a valuable member of the team. According to a company spokesman, standing policy requires a 14-day quarantine for any employee who tests positive or is exposed to COVID-19, or any team member who comes into contact with a team member who tests p...

  • Chamber director: It's kind of settling into a grind

    Peter Stein|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    PORTALES — Roosevelt County Chamber of Commerce Director Karl Terry had a good word last week when describing the new normal county residents have been dealing with for just over a month now. “It’s kind of settling into a grind,” Terry said. “We’re adapting and doing things that we normally do at home. I’m about to do a committee meeting online, and we’ve got a board meeting online next week. So we’re adapting.” Adapting is what everyone is doing in these unprecedented times. As the country moves into its second month of qua...

  • Roosevelt asks state to delegate authority

    Kevin Wilson - Staff|Updated Apr 21, 2020

    PORTALES — Add Roosevelt County to the list of entities looking to amend its own path forward dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. By a 4-0 vote, county commissioners on Monday approved a resolution asking the state to delegate authority to local governments during the pandemic and reopen businesses closed under public health orders, provided they implement the same mitigating practices required of essential businesses. Roosevelt County as of Monday had one positive COVID-19 case, and that person has since recovered, a...