Getting started on a new year

PNT staff writer

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The Davis family spent a good portion of first day of 2014 inside, only to venture out in the late afternoon to City Park.

“Since we stayed in all day, we wanted some fresh air and our boys were getting a little stir crazy,” said Randi Davis of her twin boys, Mason and Owen. “Since we stayed in all day, we wanted some fresh air and our boys were getting a little stir crazy.

Here’s what other area residents did Wednesday on New Year’s Day:

z Lance Hill, battalion chief of the Portales Fire Department, spent his day working at the fire department. Hill did radio checks, ran out on calls and other duties he normally performs on regular work days.

z Eastern New Mexico University freshman Zachary Blaeser spent time playing board games with the family and was able to sleep in.

“We just had fun being together,” Blaeser said.

z Jordan Baros, a senior at Portales High School, spent his day at the gym as he normally does when he has the time.

z Floyd High student Rebekah Smith spent the day playing basketball with her friends.

In Clovis, Charles Nunez and about 20 other firefighters spent the day training to fight fires.

“It’s skill training. We have a book with over 200 skills a firefighter needs to know, and we’re just practicing some of them,” said Nunez, 23, a rookie member of the department who moved to Clovis from California.

z Former ENMU football and basketball player Dannon Wafer spent New Year’s Day with family eating soul food and watching college football bowl games.

“We ate greens, ham, black-eyed peas, and watched some football. The best game had to be the Capital One Bowl. South Carolina beat down Wisconsin,” said Wafer, who works at a local convenience store.

z Airman Adam Jones, a native of Mississippi, spent part of the day with his family at Hillcrest Park. Jones, his wife Jennifer and 1-year old daughter Payton could be seen chasing each other around the jungle gym, with young Payton giggling as they played peek-a-boo.

“It’s a nice day, so we had to get out of the house,” said Adam Jones, who works as a navigator at Cannon Air Force Base.

CMI staff writer Eric Norwood contributed to this report.