New Mexico
The Eastern New Mexico News Archives
Stories about us – Aug. 4
Matt Weiner, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Meet Bailey: Bear who poked the bear Willow, a black bear at the Clovis zoo, let out a terrifyingly vicious growl as the tranquility around her was suspended. A stark contrast from Willow’s sister, Bailey, who just wanted tussle on a blistering hot summer day. Willow and Bailey are 16-year-old black bear sisters who share a cage at the zoo. Their differing personalities make for a colorful if complicated relationship. Tayli Freed, their zookeeper, described Bailey as “people…
Covid-19: One Year Later
Updated Aug 3, 2024
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Obituaries
Updated Aug 3, 2024
Puzzles
Updated Aug 3, 2024
Halloween Thrill Guide 2023
Updated Aug 3, 2024
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Salute to Veterans 2023
Updated Aug 3, 2024
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New Mexico agrees to join Direct File program
Albuquerque Journal, Syndicated content|Updated Aug 3, 2024
It may be a little easier to file taxes next year. New Mexico announced Thursday it agreed to join the Internal Revenue Service’s Direct File program, which allows taxpayers to file their taxes free and directly with the IRS online. The program is being expanded after a pilot program in 12 states and 140,000 taxpayers, who claimed more than $90 million in refunds and saved $5.6 million in filing costs, according to the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department. “We’re…
NM counties hear mental health update
Grant McGee, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Directors of New Mexico Counties on Friday heard of the intergovernmental workings in the development of the Regional Behavioral Health Facility to be built in Clovis. Curry County Manager Lance Pyle told board members that work on the RBHF may begin late next year at the 18-acre site on West 21st Street near Clovis’ Plains Regional Medical Center. “That’s an optimistic timeline,” Pyle said. Pyle said the development is a partnership between Curry, Roosevelt, De Baca, Quay and Union counties as well as Clovis, Portale…
Governor signs only bill passed in special session
The Santa Fe New Mexican, Syndicated content|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Tuesday signed the only piece of legislation passed during a fleeting special session last month, forgoing any line-item vetoes some lawmakers worried would occur as payback after lawmakers gave her public safety agenda a hard pass. But the two-term Democratic governor, who lambasted members of her own party for failing to even give her proposals a hearing before adjourning within five hours of gaveling in, made no secret of her displeasure. “The Legislature’s failure to prioritize public safety…
Livestock Pavilion ribbon cutting Friday
the Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
The ribbon cutting for the new Curry County Multi-Purpose Livestock Pavilion at the county fairgrounds is set for 4:15 p.m. Friday. After the ribbon cutting, those in attendance are invited to tour the new facility. The pavilion is 57,216 square feet and accommodates 250 10-foot by 10-foot stalls, according to a county news release. The facility includes interior and exterior wash stalls for livestock as well as office space and restrooms. The construction cost totaled just under $14.188 million. Funding for the project came…
Ask the News – Aug. 4
the Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
What happened to Bingo games at the Fraternal Order of Eagles 3245 in Clovis? They’ll be back soon, said Dean Ferguson, the FOE’s Bingo manager. “A staff permit renewal was overlooked. It’s renewed every three years with the New Mexico Gaming Authority,” Ferguson said Thursday. “The Bingo license is in good standing,” Ferguson added. “All employees have to have a staff permit even though we’re volunteers.” Ferguson said the renewal is “in the process and as soon as it’s renewed, we’ll be back to Bingo.” That will probabl…
Senior calendar – Aug. 4
Updated Aug 3, 2024
Curry Residents Senior Meals Association 901 W. 13th St. Clovis Monday: Sloppy Joe, Green Beans w/Mushrooms, Salad w/Dressing & Peaches. Tuesday: Baked Ham, Sweet Potatoes, Asparagus, Roll w/Margarine, Pineapple Chunks & Vanilla Yogurt. Wednesday: Chicken Ala King, Steam Brown Rice, Carrots, Salad w/Dressing & Fruit Cocktail. Thursday: Chili Dog, Chili Saice, French Fries, Three Bean Salad & Watermelon. Friday: Navajo Taco, Green Chile & Orange. Hilcrest Senior Life Center 1704 E. 7th St, Clovis 575-769-7908 Monday: 9am…
On the shelves – Aug. 4
Updated Aug 3, 2024
The books listed below are now available for checkout at the Clovis-Carver Public Library. The library is open to the public, but patrons can still visit the online catalog at cloviscarverpl.booksys.net/opac/ccpl or call 575-769-7840 to request a specific item for curbside pickup. “Aspen Crossroads” by Janine Rosche. Few in the community of Whisper Canyon have actually met Jace Daring, a recluse who lives at Aspen Crossroads. But that doesn’t stop the rumors about the multiple women who live with him. He must protect the t…
Refrigerated air still working great for me
Karl Terry, Local columnist|Updated Aug 3, 2024
After a really brief but bawdy monsoon season, seems like we’ve jumped straight out into the frying pan around here. Two weeks ago, I logged nearly 2 inches of rain in a little over an hour, triggering a flash flood warning for a couple of days running. A few days later we were receiving heat warnings from the weather services for multiple days. I don’t have a lot of trouble with the heat these days because I don’t have to get out in it. I just turn the thermostat down until…
Our people: Brenda Allen: Small town, big service
Landry Sena, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
If you’ve traveled U.S. 60-84 through Melrose, chances are you noticed the grain elevator. And if you stopped to take a look around, even better chances are that you met Brenda Allen, who has managed Melrose Grain & Elevator for about seven years. Allen is from Melrose and graduated MHS in 1983. She and her husband decided to take on this service to give back to the small community. Q: What did you imagine yourself doing when you were younger? Did you think you’d always stay…
Curry commissioners approve $60 million budget
Grant McGee, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Curry County commissioners on Tuesday approved a $60 million budget for fiscal year 2024-2025. The figure represents about a $5.5 million reduction from fiscal year 2023-2024’s budget of $65.538 million. In presenting the budget to commissioners, County Manager Lance Pyle said the county’s projected revenue for the upcoming fiscal year is $26.192 million. “The rest of the approximately $33.9 million in revenue comes from federal and state monies such as grants, fire funds, road funds, special programs and such,” Pyle said af…
DOH: 4 NM care facilities fail surprise visits
The Santa Fe New Mexican, Syndicated content|Updated Aug 3, 2024
ALBUQUERQUE — When state workers paid a surprise visit to an Albuquerque assisted living facility earlier this year, they stumbled across a family wandering the halls, looking for a relative who lived there. They eventually found her about a mile away. At an Albuquerque nursing home, workers spoke with a woman who was recovering from surgery and had been left in a soiled diaper for 12 hours overnight. She was still clad in a hospital gown after her own clothes got lost in the laundry. The two situations — at Morada Alb…
Opinion: Communists would be proud of Dems
Rube Render, Local columnist|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Some wag once remarked there are 100 people in America who honestly believe they are more than qualified to be president of the United States. These people are called United States senators. Kamala Harris used to be one of them. Having said that, let’s look at what is happening in the Democrat Party, their presidential nomination and their coming convention. If you listened to President Biden’s short speech as to why he stepped down from his certain lock on the nom…
Opinion: Allowing politics to divide us tragic
Kent McManigal, Local columnist|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Politics divides. That’s the nature of the thing; what it’s designed to do. Worse, politics often culminates in elections. Every election feels like the majority coming together to give a mass murderer the keys to my house and holding me at gunpoint to make sure I won’t do anything about it. This is an outcome I can’t consent to. But in the name of democracy — even if it was once a republic — it’s the outcome that is guaranteed every time. Other political systems are not b…
Opinion: Harris candidacy has energized the Democrats
Tom McDonald, Syndicated content|Updated Aug 3, 2024
What a change in the political landscape, with Joe Biden’s cancellation and Kamala Harris now topping the Democratic ticket. Suddenly, Donald Trump is the decrepit old man in the race. The best thing the 78-year-old Trump has going for him are sound bites. Listen to one of his stream-of-consciousness rants in its entirety and you’ll see what I mean. His record-setting (in length) Republican National Convention speech was three times longer than his prepared speech, and 10 times more nonsensical. His ramblings show his age…
Q&A: Police chief answers school questions
David Stevens, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Editor’s note: This is one in a continuing series of interviews with local officials. Roy Rice is Clovis’ police chief. This email exchange focused on school safety. Q: School starts again in just a few days. How are you feeling about student safety locally? Are the area districts doing all they can to prevent campus violence? A: I feel the schools are doing quite a bit to ensure student safety. I have attended meetings and training sessions for the staff to enlighten them on…
Roosevelt County officials adopt budget for 2025
Kathleen Stinson, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Roosevelt County commissioners on Tuesday adopted their 2024-2025 fiscal year budget of $20,480,450.92. Last year’s budget was about $18.8 million, said County Treasurer Layle Sanchez. The cost of doing business on most everything has increased, Sanchez said. This includes the cost of equipment, the cost of fuel, the cost to retain employees and pay their healthcare as well as their benefits. “All those things play a role,” she said. Laura Thompson, deputy county manager and finance administrator, who is the acting county man…
Mediation hopes to resolve school-year dispute
Albuquerque Journal, Syndicated content|Updated Aug 3, 2024
Mediation talks are underway in an effort to resolve a lawsuit filed by a coalition of school districts challenging a controversial scheduling rule requiring public schools to spend 180 days annually with students. State District Judge Dustin Hunter of Roswell last month rescheduled a hearing to Sept. 30 to allow the mediation to continue. The two-month pause comes in a lawsuit filed in April against the state Public Education Department by the New Mexico School Superintendents Association and about 55 of the state’s 89 s…
Taylors to be re-tried in Portales next year
Grant McGee, The Staff of The News|Updated Aug 3, 2024
A new trial early next year has been set for Mary and Sandi Taylor of Portales who were convicted in 2019 for reckless child abuse after they left two toddlers in a hot car in 2017. One of the girls in their care – 22-month-old Maliyah Jones — died, while the other — 23-month-old Aubri Loya — suffered serious injury before recovering. The mother-daughter daycare operators were sentenced to 30-year-plus prison terms. But on appeal, the New Mexico Supreme Court ruled in March they both would receive new trials. According t…
Bernie Hall: High class for country kids
Betty Williamson, Local columnist|Updated Aug 3, 2024
I was out of town when Bernalillo Hall – the last remaining high rise on the campus of Eastern New Mexico University – was demolished last month. Even though it had long outlived its useful life, it was bittersweet to see the photos as it came down and even more so to drive past the mountain of rubble last week. Bernalillo opened in the fall of 1967, according to the ENMU yearbook, The Silver Pack, as well as stories in the Portales News-Tribune. Built to house 450 female…
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – A local business owner estimates he suffered about $1 million in damages as the result of yet another fire at a South Valley recycling plant.
Town Recycling on Broadway Blvd. SE has witnessed two fires in a span of less than two weeks with the first happening May 23rd and the second occurring Tuesday of this week.
Khalil Samaha, who owns Samcar, Inc. and Cedar’s Construction next door, says his businesses escaped without serious damage from the first fire, but the second one led to the loss of his main building, inventory he sells including trucks, construction equipment, computers, records, and much more.
“It’s a total mess. Everything is on the ground with water and insulation. It’s a total loss,” he said.
He gave KOB 4 a tour of his damaged property Wednesday and says that county officials have condemned the main office and won’t let him back inside.
“You can see all the glass is popped,” he said pointing to the windows. “I don’t know if the firefighters broke them or they exploded.”
A spokesperson for Bernalillo County Fire and Rescue issued a statement saying that, based on witness accounts, both fires may have started in a “bale of cardboard” at the recycling facility.
As of Wednesday evening, Broadway between Prosperity and Rio Bravo remained closed.
Samaha says firefighters attempted to battle the second fire from a different area than the first and the wind may have made conditions tougher.
“This time, the wind didn’t help,” he said. “So, it was blowing in my direction and took the building and some equipment in the back.”
Having seen two fires at the neighboring recycling facility in a span of about 11 days, he wonders if this will finally be the end of it.
“I hope it’s the last time. But, worried? Yes, we are worried,” he said. “We are close to them, and the materials are close to the fence. We share the fence together, so it’s always in the back of your mind.”
And now he lives with the memory of how quickly everything can change – just like it did earlier this week.
“It was very quick. From the smoke to the flame to the fire, it was very, very quick.”
A representative of Town Recycling declined our request for an interview.
LAS VEGAS, N.M. – New Mexico Highlands University President Niel Woolf has sued the school, claiming leaders pushed him to redirect a $600,000 contract to a chairman’s friend.
Woolf filed the lawsuit after the university placed him on administrative leave at the beginning of May.
He says Board of Regents Chair Frank Sanchez told him to cancel a $600,000 agreement with an out-of-state contractor and give it to a local contractor.
Woolf says that company is led by a friend of both Sanchez and his brother-in-law, Sen. Pete Campos, who represents Las Vegas.
In the lawsuit, Woolf says Sanchez told him directing the funds to his friend would “go a long way towards securing money for the University from Senator Campos,” said Woolf.
Woolf is seeking damages and attorney’s fees under the New Mexico Whistleblower Protection Act.
CHAMA, N.M. – The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad will begin its summer season on Tuesday, June 9, after the railroad delayed its opening due to drought and wildfire danger.
The season was initially set to begin on May 23. The Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission said it would conduct a review on June 2 to determine if it was safe enough to begin operations.
“A sincere thank you to all our passengers and the communities in Chama and Antonito who have been so patient as we waited for conditions to improve,” said Eric Mason, CEO of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. “We are excited to welcome guests back aboard and hear the opening whistle signal the start of another memorable season.”
The railroad will hold a Grand Opening Celebration on Saturday, June 13, in Chama. The celebration will coincide with Chama Western Heritage Days, a community festival that weekend with live music, vendors, and rodeo competitions.
The railroad recently won USA TODAY’S poll for the best scenic train ride in the country. In celebration of the win, the railroad said passengers who book by June 7 ca receive a 25% discount on coach tickets for trips through August. Guests must redeem the offer by calling the railroad at 888-286-2737 using promo code USATODAY#1.
Tickets are also available for the first Dark Sky Train departures on June 12 from Chama and June 13 from Antonito. The dark sky trains include evening excursions led by international dark sky guides, and take passengers to secluded spots with minimal light pollution.
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