Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Articles from the June 2, 2021 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 21 of 21

  • Ceremony honors those who gave lives

    Kevin Wilson, Editor|Updated Jun 4, 2021

    PORTALES - Monday was to be the 75th consecutive year Portales had celebrated Memorial Day and honored the local soldiers who gave their lives for their fellow citizens. A few inches of rain was not about to stop anybody. Monday's ceremony at the Portales Cemetery moved a few blocks south, with a makeshift sign letting community members know to head to the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3515 instead. The post, decorated already for a free lunch following the service at the...

  • All NM counties moved to turquoise designation

    The Staff of The News|Updated Jun 2, 2021

    Citing a significant drop in new COVID-19 cases over the Memorial Day weekend, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Wednesday executed a public health order that places all 33 New Mexico counties in the turquoise level. A Department of Health release noted that between Saturday and Tuesday, the state confirmed 380 new cases — less than half of the gating target of 210 per day. “We’re almost there,” the governor said in a release. “New Mexicans are making the right choices: Getting vaccinated so we can all safely resume our lives... Full story

  • Historic governor's home demolished

    David Stevens, Publisher|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    PORTALES - In all kinds of weather - through ice storms, violent dust storms, heavy rains - Zach Jones remembers the home always felt "quiet and safe." "Like a ship carrying its passengers across the High Plains," is the way Jones described it. That north Portales home, built in 1900 by New Mexico's third governor, is history now, knocked down Tuesday morning to make room for a new barn in which Roosevelt County can store its road equipment. Despite months of public pleading...

  • 'Bands of Enchantment' producers announce air dates

    the Staff of The News|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    The producers behind the “Bands of Enchantment” music television series that was shot in Tucumcari on Friday announced dates when episodes will air on New Mexico and Texas PBS stations. Here are the stations that will air Elkhorn Entertainment’s first eight episodes: • KENW-TV, which reaches into Tucumcari and other southeastern New Mexico cities, will air episodes at 10:30 p.m. on Mondays starting June 14 and 9:30 p.m. on Saturdays starting June 19. • KACV-TV, which beams into the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles and eastern N...

  • Local scoreboard - June 2

    Updated Jun 1, 2021

    BASEBALL Prep linescores Saturday District 6-2A First game Texico 19, Clayton 0 Clayton 0 0 0 00 — 0 1 1 Texico 1(14)4 0x —19 14 0 Clayton battery n/a; Josh Myers, Kyle Gonser (3) and David Davalos. W — Gonzer. Top hitters — Texico: Freddy Davalos 2-4, 2B, 5 RBIs, 2 runs; D. Davalos 3-5, 2B, 4 RBIs, 2 runs; Anton Goins 3-4, 2 RBIs, 3 runs. Second game Texico 23, Clayton 1 Clayton 0 00 01 — 1 5 1 Texico (10)62 5x —23 25 0 Clayton battery n/a; Anton Goins, Logan Bowman (3), Gabe Bailey (5) and F. Davalos. W — Bowman. Top h...

  • Pages past, June 2: Tragedies haunt air base, college prez quits

    David Stevens, Publisher|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    On this date … 1941: Eastern New Mexico College President Donald W. MacKay had resigned, officials announced. No reason for the resignation was reported. MacKay was not available for comment since he was out of town on vacation. MacKay had been the college's only president since its opening in 1934. College officials said they were attempting to interest former New Mexico State College President H.L. Kent in the ENMC job. Instead, Floyd Golden became the college's second p...

  • Jail log - June 2

    Updated Jun 1, 2021

    Booked The following were booked into local jails (Friday-Tuesday): Clovis • Jacob Ratigan, 24, criminal trespass, possession of drug paraphernalia • Christopher Hill, 67, failure to comply with specific requirements-attempt • Alec Chavez, 20, false imprisonment • Ernesto Martinez, 32, trafficking controlled substances • Vicente Ceniceros-Ochoa, 22, probation violation • Sergio Banda, 34, failure to obey notice to appear • Carin Coffee, 39, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge • John Smart, 22, possession of a firearm or...

  • Faith: Everything has a purpose, even jumping spiders

    Patti Dobson, Religion columnist|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    At Head Acres, if I sit on the stoop long enough, all sorts of critters will make their way past my hangout spot. I’ve seen foxes, families of deer, badgers (not as friendly as they are cute), a variety of different snakes, skunks, birds. Most times, I’m fine with whatever strolls by; I appreciate the visits. Then, there are the other times. While working outdoors, tending animals and doing some general clean up, I had an encounter of the spider kind. It’s bad enough to come...

  • Faith: Open your soul to creator's gift of joy

    Curtis Shelburne, Religion columnist|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    True confession No. 1: I don’t feel the least bit guilty about my next true confession. True confession No. 2: I have never been much of a cat person. I’ll pick a slobbering dog over a condescending cat every time. I do admit that those types are not necessarily the only choices. But enough truth lies in the stereotypes that we all chuckle knowingly at Winston Churchill’s variously quoted truth: “Cats look down on you, dogs look up to you. Give me a pig! He looks you in the...

  • Registration Station great success

    Cindy Kleyn-Kennedy, Local columnist|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    At the beginning of April we held our first “Registration Station,” to register PreK and kindergarten students for the upcoming school year, 2021-22. Turnout was great, and due to its success, it was clear we needed a second opportunity for any who might have missed the first time around. This Saturday, from 8 a.m. until noon, we will again hold our Registration Station at three locations: Cameo Elementary (1500 Cameo); Lockwood Elementary(1113 S. Oak), and Clovis Schools Mai...

  • Artesia too much for Lady Rams

    Dave Wagner, Staff writer|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    PORTALES — There’s a reason why Artesia is seeking third consecutive Class 4A state softball championship. This season, after missing out on the 2020 campaign due to COVID, the Lady Bulldogs are looking accomplish the feat with an extremely young roster — nine of the 14 players on it are freshmen. Portales, itself a young team, went down quickly on Saturday night in a five-inning perfect game by junior right-hander RyLee Crandall in the opener, a 10-0 verdict. The Lady Rams, though, stayed tight in the nightcap until late...

  • Eunice outlasts Texico

    the Staff of The News|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    EUNICE — The Texico Wolverines tasted defeat for the first time this season on Monday, falling to Eunice 10-7 in a battle of Class 2A state championship contenders. Texico (7-1) led briefly 3-2 with two runs in the top of the third, but the Cardinals (8-1) scored four times in the home fourth to take a 7-3 advantage. The four-time defending 2A champion Wolverines evened the score with four in the sixth, but a run-scoring single and a two-run homer put Eunice back in control in the bottom half. Senior David Davalos went 3...

  • Be grateful for all you have and don't waste it

    Betty Williamson, Local columnist|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    I never crack open a raw egg without thinking of an old family friend named Mrs. Klein. Mrs. Klein was the mother of one of my mother’s best childhood pals in the 1930s and early 1940s in Cleveland. Improbably for two big-city girls, my mother and her friend ended up living only 18 miles apart in eastern New Mexico, so Mrs. Klein stayed a part of my mother’s life — and eventually mine — for all of her remaining years. Mrs. Klein was still living in Ohio when I was a kid, bu...

  • Opinion: Light is waiting to break through

    Tom McDonald, Syndicated content|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    Depression is something I try not to think about. For some reason, it always brings me down. That’s a joke. My personal remedy against the funk that sometimes hits me is humor. My father used to say that if you can’t laugh at your troubles, then you really are in trouble. So when the world gets me down, I do my damnedest to laugh it off. Of course, that doesn’t work for everyone. It doesn’t even work for me sometimes, and I don’t even suffer from the debilitating chronic depression that I’ve seen manifested in others. I’v...

  • Opinion: Drug abuse stupid but prohibition evil

    Kent McManigal, Local columnist|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    It’s normal to focus more on things that matter to us personally. It’s harder to care about everything else. I’m most vocal about the liberty I see being attacked the hardest. This is why I mention gun-owner rights so often. These rights are currently attracting the most hate. If you want me to defend a right, start a coordinated attack against it. Beyond rights I care about the most, you have the right to do things that don’t interest me at all, or things I don’t like. As...

  • Opinion: NM's spaceport in thick of new space race

    Albuquerque Journal, Syndicated content|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    May 22 was a big day for Virgin Galactic, Spaceport America, commercial space flight and New Mexico. After years of delays, Virgin Galactic’s VSS Unity successfully shot into space after breaking away from its mothership at 44,000 feet. Unity climbed about 55 miles above Earth before gliding down to Spaceport America, the world’s first purpose-built commercial spaceport near Truth or Consequences. Although Unity had no passengers, the successful launch from Spaceport was a long-awaited achievement. “After so many years and s...

  • Officials discuss barn expansion

    Kevin Wilson, Editor|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    CLOVIS — After an hour of discussion a potential expansion of the current fair barn at the Curry County Fairgrounds, one thing was clear to county commissioners. They’re not ready to approve anything yet. “If we’re going o get serious about this,” Commissioner Chet Spear said, “there’s a lot of homework that needs to get done. … We’re not there yet; I don’t think we are.” Charlie Kolarik, a principal architect with Populous, gave commissioners a look at what a barn expansion could possibly mean, with options that went fro...

  • State announces vaccine lottery

    the Staff of The News|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    The state announced Tuesday as a way to further incentivize COVID-19 vaccinations, it would offer $10 million in prize money and various other prizes to residents who get their vaccines through the state portal. To be eligible for the cash sweepstakes, New Mexicans who receive or have already received their COVID-19 vaccinations through vaccinenem.gov must opt in to register and verify their personal and vaccination information at vax2themaxnm.org. The Vax 2 the Max Sweepstakes will award one weekly $250,000 winner from each...

  • Audie Murphy: 50 years gone, 'deserves to be remembered'

    Robert Nott The Santa Fe New Mexican, Syndicated content|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    GREENVILLE, Texas -- When "The End" flashed on the screen at the conclusion of the film, the audience broke out in applause. The 75 or so patrons in the Texan Theater had just watched their hero, Audie Murphy, the most decorated soldier of World War II, save the day again. In the audience, Larry Winters, 79, had already used his handkerchief to wipe away tears at least once during the screening of "To Hell and Back," the 1955 film adaptation of Murphy's war memoir. "Every... Full story

  • Lawyer challenging credibility of ex-Portales cop

    Robert Nott The Santa Fe New Mexican, Syndicated content|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    As embattled Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan heads to trial on felony charges, his attorneys battled prosecutors over discovery issues Friday. Lujan, whose trial is scheduled to start Tuesday in Rio Arriba County, is charged with aiding a felon and bribing a witness in a 2017 case in which he is accused of helping former Española City Councilor Phillip Chacon evade police and telling a deputy who witnessed some of those actions not to tell anyone. At issue Friday was whether former Rio Arriba County Sheriff's Deputy...

  • Police: Clovis woman dies from car crash into apartment

    The Staff of The News|Updated Jun 1, 2021

    CLOVIS — A Clovis woman died Saturday night after she was struck by a vehicle that crashed through her apartment. Gillian Sweeney, 74, died at the scene of the accident on the 3400 block of Lore Street. According to a Clovis Police Department release: • Police were dispatched to the apartment at about 10:50 p.m. Upon arrival, officers discovered a 2016 Ford Fusion that crashed through the apartment’s north-facing wall and came to rest in the bedroom. • The driver of the Ford was a 21-year-old male, and was not identif...