Serving Clovis, Portales and the Surrounding Communities

Articles from the March 17, 2019 edition


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  • Time to applaud those oft-forgotten first responders

    David Stevens|Updated Mar 18, 2019

    “I am a lineman for the county “And I drive the main road “Searchin' in the sun for another overload …” — Jimmy Webb’s “Wichita Lineman” They gather annually to compete for fun, climbing 40 feet up with raw eggs in their mouths, or rescuing 165-pound mannequins from atop utility poles. These linemen rodeos are usually held in the sunshine with tolerable weather and supporting family members and friends cheering them on. That’s mostly how we’ve learned to appreciate their cons...

  • Our people: A jack of all trades

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    My name is Bill Aylesworth. I was born in Plainview, Texas and have lived in Clovis since 1963. I served in the United States Army during the Korean War. I worked at the Safeway Milk Plant for 25 years. I have been married to my wonderful wife Martha for 62 years. We have four children, six grandchildren, and four great grandchildren. Since retirement, I became a handy-man and jack-of-all-trades. What's an accomplishment you're proud of? I am proud of serving on the board of...

  • Income tax hike proposal wins approval at eleventh hour

    Albuquerque Journal|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    SANTA FE — A proposal to raise income taxes on high-earning New Mexicans — as part of a broader tax package — won approval in the final minutes of the 2019 legislative session. The last day also included final passage of legislation for a new ethics commission and a proposal to decriminalize the possession of small amounts of marijuana. The tax package was a product of 11th hour negotiations between lawmakers and top officials in Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham's administration. It passed the House on a voice vote Saturday morni...

  • Governor urged to veto parole bill

    Albuquerque Journal|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Darci Pierce in 1987 kidnapped a woman who was 8 months pregnant. She drove her to a remote area in the East Mountains where she strangled her, cut out her baby with a key, then tried to pass the baby off as her own. Frank Martinez and two other men in 1993 raped a 12-year-old girl, stabbed her, and choked her with a belt as he drowned her in a puddle of muddy water, then set the body on fire on Mount Taylor. And in 2003, Gabriel Avila raped and murdered a 22-year-old woman who was walking home from a party in Las Cruces. He...

  • Minimum wage proposal heads to governor

    Albuquerque Journal|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    SANTA FE — New Mexico lawmakers are sending Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham a proposal that would raise the statewide minimum wage to $12 an hour by 2023. It’s the product of a late-night agreement struck in the final days of the legislative session. The Senate adopted the agreement late Thursday, and the House signed off in the early-morning hours Friday. Lujan Grisham helped negotiate the proposal with lawmakers after the two chambers adopted different proposals and couldn’t agree on identical legislation. The $12 level is hi...

  • Lawmakers reject anti-abortion law repeal

    Albuquerque Journal|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    SANTA FE — New Mexico lawmakers on Thursday rejected a proposal that would have repealed the state’s 1969 anti-abortion law — an issue that emerged as one of the most emotional of the session. The legislation, backed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, failed on a 24-18 vote after a brisk debate on the Senate floor. Eight Democrats joined all 16 Republicans in voting against it. A few lawmakers shared intensely personal stories — speaking about miscarriage, grief, religion and the sanctity of life — during speeches on the Senate...

  • Two time changes better than 50 time zones

    Fort Worth Star-Telegram|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    It really has come to this: Americans can’t even agree on what time it is. As most of us were springing our clocks forward and feeling like we were robbed of another hour of sleep last weekend, debates on the wisdom or folly of daylight saving time raged across the nation. Texas is among a few states considering whether to join Hawaii and Arizona in staying on standard time. Others want to stay on daylight saving time, and not fall back an hour to standard time in November. President Trump signaled his support for the l...

  • Bill true affront to Constitution

    Rich Lowry|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    The same Democrats outraged by Donald Trump’s alleged offenses against the First Amendment passed, as their first priority, a speech-restricting bill opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union. Trump shouldn’t call the media “the enemy of the people” or inveigh against Jeff Bezos for owning The Washington Post, but Nancy Pelosi’s HR 1, which passed the House this month, is the true affront to the Constitution. The wide-ranging legislation purports to reform campaign...

  • Letters to the editor - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Jury made wrong decision in case I am writing about the recent jury decision that found Benjamin Pritchett guilty of a years-old supposed sexual assault of a child. Juries make darned wrong decisions sometimes and this case was no exception. I know Ben Pritchett. This sexual assault supposedly happened in an 800-square-foot guest house in which several people present heard nothing. There is no way anyone could be assaulted in a house that size with no one hearing anything. This jury should have been taken to that house and...

  • Wage arguments just don't hold water

    Kevin Wilson|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    A minimum wage increase was on the way to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s desk, and this column was due before her expected signature. Every time a wage increase is discussed, I hear the same arguments. • “Minimum wage increases will mean businesses will lay off employees.” Hundreds of years ago, we beileved the sun revolved around the earth. But the data didn’t support that conclusion. Likewise, data doesn’t support “wage increases kill jobs.” The federal minimum wage has gone up nearly two dozen times, but there’s no corr...

  • Jail logs - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Booked The following were booked into local jails Tuesday - Thursday: Clovis • Jose Sena, 44, probation violation • Eugene Foster, 42, failure to pay fines • Josette Anaya, 37, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge • James Sanchez, 32, possession of a controlled substance, failure to pay fines • Jose Villalta, 20, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, failure to pay fines, limitation on backing • Alberta Trujillo, 45, battery • Joshua Martinez, 34, kidnapping • Michael Martin, 40, larceny ($250 or less), criminal damage to pr...

  • Portales loan agreement to go before council

    The Staff of The News|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    PORTALES — The city of Portales’ annual loan agreement with the National Museum of the Air Force will go before the city council at Tuesday’s meeting. City Manager Sammy Standefer said the city has hosted the F-111 jet displayed just north of Eastern New Mexico University for about 15 to 20 years. He said the only cost to the city comes from upkeep of the aircraft, such as paint and decals. Other items on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, scheduled for 6:30 p.m. in the council chambers of the Memorial Building, include...

  • Clovis school board to talk changing calendar

    The Staff of The News|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    CLOVIS — The Clovis Municipal Schools Board of Education on Tuesday will discuss moving from a 260-day calendar to a 238-day calendar for 12-month employees. Superintendent Jody Balch said the change would not affect any employee salaries, it would simply bring their daily rate pay in line with what they should be receiving. Balch said the current schedule doesn’t actually allow 12-month employees to work a full 260 days, which skews the daily rate. “It waters down the daily rate for 12-month employees and why someone did t...

  • Roosevelt set to discuss financial matters

    The Staff of The News|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    PORTALES — A trio of financial matters make up most of the agenda for Tuesday’s Roosevelt County Commission meeting, with the commission expected to hold a board finance meeting with Treasurer Layle Sanchez before providing her direction regarding the investment of $50,000 in general fund monies and $20,000 in assessor fund monies. The only other items of new business on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. in the county commission room at the Roosevelt County Courthouse, are an application for law enfor...

  • Curry to consider road closure

    The Staff of The News|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    CLOVIS — The Curry County Commission is expected to consider the closure of 2.28 miles of Curry Road 6 during Tuesday’s meeting. Road viewers who met Wednesday recommended the road be closed and a yield sign be placed at the intersection of CR 5 and CR 6. Other items on the agenda for Tuesday’s meeting, scheduled for 9 a.m. in the commission chamber at the Curry County Administrative Complex, 417 Gidding, include: • The commission will consider a $73,824 loan to the Pleasant Hill Fire Department to purchase fire apparatus. ...

  • New company reaches out to golfers

    Kevin Wilson|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    CLOVIS — New operators of Clovis’ Colonial Park Golf Course touted an impressive list of credentials during a Tuesday meet-and-greet, with a management company the National Golf Foundation named as one of golf’s top 100 businesses. But they’re not above admitting they’d like to take mulligans. Touchstone Golf President Mark Luthman recalled another course the company took over and a clubhouse restaurant relaunch. Staff printed up 750 door hanger flyers with appetizer and drink coupons announcing the restaurant’s grand reope...

  • Pages past - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    On this date ... 1969: Hundreds of fans had welcomed home the NAIA basketball champions to Portales. Eastern New Mexico University, seeded 12th in the 32-team field, won its first and only national basketball championship, 99-76, on March 15. The Greyhounds defeated Maryland State “on an amazing two-out-of-three shooting display,” United Press International reported. Reserve Dale Severson led ENMU with 25 points in the title game. “We didn’t start him in the first four games of the tournament because he doesn’t have the...

  • Meetings calendar - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Tuesday • Curry County Commission — 9 a.m., Commission Chambers, Curry County Administration Complex, 417 Gidding St., Clovis. Information: 575-763-6016 • Roosevelt County Commission — 9 a.m., Commission Room, Roosevelt County Courthouse, 109 W. First St., Portales. Information: 575-356-5307 • Friends of the Library — 11:30 a.m., Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main St., Clovis. Information: 575-769-7840 • Clovis Municipal Schools board — 5:30 p.m., Board Room, Central Office, Clovis Municipal School District, 1009...

  • Local lawmakers take stock of session

    Jamie Cushman|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    SANTA FE — If we didn’t know 60 days ago, we know now: New Mexico is under Democrat control. “I feel like the state of New Mexico turned left,” Rep. Randy Crowder, R-Clovis, said as the state Legislature wrapped up its annual session on Saturday. “At 3 o’clock (Friday) morning the House floor approved $210 million worth of tax credits for Hollywood and most of what we’re doing is simply not sustainable.” “It’s all tied to revenue from the oil and gas industry and that is a very cyclical industry. It is a boom-bust industry,...

  • WindsDay to remember

    David Grieder|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    The windy season is upon us. Sustained 50-mph winds, with gusts near 80 mph, blew across the region on Wednesday, creating widespread outages and property damage. A power company lineman was killed while working Wednesday evening in Hereford, but remarkably there were no major injuries reported in Curry, Roosevelt or Quay counties - even as the wind blew a train down into a ravine that same day near Logan. It was a superlative event even for people long accustomed to the regio...

  • On the shelves - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    The following are available for checkout at: Clovis-Carver Public Library “Summit Lake” by Charlie Donlea steps into North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains to a place that seems too beautiful to be touched by horror. Yet following the brutal murder of a first-year law student and daughter of a powerful attorney, the town is reeling, the police are baffled and investigative reported Kelsey Castle feels a growing connection to the dead girl as she discovers the attack was far more sinister than a random attack by a stran...

  • Club notes - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Curry County and Area Republican Women The Curry County & Area Republican Women's Group met on Tuesday at K-Bob’s Steakhouse with President Annie Hogland presiding. Sue McDowell gave the invocation and Karen Bair led the Pledge of Alliance. There were nine members and one guest present, Tina Dziuk. The minutes from the February meeting were approved as written and the treasurer's report filed for audit. Roosevelt County Republican Chair Tina Dziuk was our guest speaker. She presented information on New Mexico DOES — or Des...

  • School menus - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Clovis Elementary Monday: Breakfast — French toast. Lunch — Soft taco w/salsa, seasoned pinto beans, seasoned corn. Tuesday: Breakfast — Pancake sausage on a stick. Lunch — French bead pizza, veggie cup w/ranch, chilled fruit. Wednesday: Breakfast — Egg and cheese on a bun. Lunch — Teriyaki beef strips, au gratin potatoes, garden salad w/ranch, applesauce cup. Thursday: Breakfast — Banana bread. Lunch — Hot dog on a bun, baked fries, seasoned green beans, chilled fruit. Friday: Breakfast — Blueberry muffin. Lunch — Cheese que...

  • Senior calendar - March 17

    Updated Mar 16, 2019

    Baxter Curren Senior Center 908 Hickory St., Clovis Monday: 8:30 a.m. exercise class, 10 a.m. jewelry pals, 1 p.m. line dance, 5 p.m. business meeting, 5:30 p.m. potluck, 6 p.m. social night Tuesday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. exercise equipment, 8 a.m. quilting, 9 a.m. pinochle class, 10 a.m. beginning line dance, 1 p.m. pinochle, 6 p.m. trivia mania Wednesday: 8 a.m.-4 p.m. exercise equipment, 8:30 a.m. exercise class, 10 a.m. sew days, 1 p.m. needle gang Thursday: 8 a.m. eggs, gravy and biscuits $4, 8:45 a.m. pinochle 101, 1 p.m....

  • Our tolerance for bad weather needs work

    Karl Terry|Updated Mar 16, 2019

    I’m not too sure if climate change is for real or not, but there’s no doubt the weather is going to change. We say it about the High Plains and I’ve heard it elsewhere as well: “If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes and it will change." That was never more true than this past week. It went from beautiful to foggy to raining and thundering with tornado watches, then it warmed back up and we had hurricane-force winds. That led to a sandstorm and then downright chilly...

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