New Mexico

The Eastern New Mexico News Archives

Published

5 months ago

August 3, 2024

Press Room

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…

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New Mexico

Survey finds more than half of New Mexicans have experienced sexual violence • Source New Mexico

Published

5 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Survey finds more than half of New Mexicans have experienced sexual violence • Source New Mexico

This story discusses sexual violence. For anyone in need of support, please call, text or chat the New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline at 1-844-667-2457 or nmsahelp.org.

More than half of all New Mexicans have been sexually assaulted or raped at some point in their life, and 40% have been the victim of some kind of sexual violence while in New Mexico in the past year, according to a report published Wednesday.

Researchers from the Catherine Cutler Institute at the University of Southern Maine set out to understand how often people in New Mexico become victims of sexual violence, how often they report it and how often they seek help.

They surveyed 1,272 people between September 2023 and June 2024, and 54% of the people who responded said they had either been raped or sexually assaulted within their lifetime. “This rate translates to more than 1.1 million New Mexico residents,” the authors wrote.

The findings mark the first new New Mexico sexual violence crime victimization survey data in nearly two decades, the authors wrote. The last one was conducted between 2005 and 2006.

Researchers collected the data for the New Mexico Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, a nonprofit that provides technical assistance to more than 60 sexual assault service providers, sexual assault nurse examiners, child advocacy centers and community mental health centers.

In an interview with Source, Alexandria Taylor, the coalition’s executive director, said she thinks a lack of funding is the primary explanation for why it’s been so long since the last survey.

Taylor said the findings validate and quantify what she has known anecdotally for years: sexual assault is present in many people’s lives.

“All of our service providers, whether it’s our substance use treatment centers, our schools, our places of employment — even our places of incarceration — they’re all serving survivors of sexual assault,” she said.

Rachel Cox, the coalition’s deputy director of programs, told Source she was surprised the report gave her some hope they can actually address the prevalence of sexual assault, because it shows neither victims nor perpetrators of sexual violence are exceptional.

“We’re really talking about something that vicariously impacts everyone in New Mexico,” she said.

While counts of sexual violence victims commonly derived from service organizations and police reports are informative, they are also “certainly undercounts,” the report states.

Researchers asked New Mexicans about their experiences with four kinds of sexual violence: stalking, rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. Forty percent said they had been the victim of at least one of these crimes within the last 12 months while they were in New Mexico.

The research was funded by the Crime Victims Reparation Commission, a state agency that helps crime victims recover losses resulting from being victimized, and provides federal grants to other organizations serving them.

In a news release attached to the report, the coalition outlined its priorities for the upcoming legislative session to boost support for survivors and evidence-based prevention education.

The group plans to ask the Legislature to set aside $3 million to the Department of Health for prevention initiatives, $2 million to the Health Care Authority for medical and counseling needs, and $2 million to the Crime Victims Reparation Commission for providers and the New Mexico Sexual Assault Helpline.

The report also noted that 68% of victims of sexual assault and 75% of victims of rape did not seek support.

State law prohibits reparations to people victimized in prison

As researchers conducted the survey, they also sought to find disparities between demographic groups.

For example, people who have been incarcerated have the highest overall rate of victimization: 69%. They were also more likely to have been the victim of stalking than any other group.

Formerly incarcerated New Mexicans were also less likely to seek victim services, and more likely to have experienced “significant problems” with their job or schoolwork as a result of being victimized, the researchers found.

The group with the next highest rate of victimization was homeless people, at 68%.

Taylor said people who are most systemically impacted either have experienced sexual violence or are at greater risk of experiencing it. Cox said incarcerated and unhoused people can be some of the most invisible in society.

The findings are notable, in part, because New Mexico law does not allow reparations to people who were victimized while they were incarcerated. Taylor said it can’t be ignored that people who do harm and end up incarcerated have also themselves experienced harm and need healing.

“That’s where we have to use what we know from the individual level to impact things at the policy level,” she said.

Transgender or nonbinary people were more likely than cisgender people to have been raped, and Black respondents were more likely than other races to have been raped.

Perpetrators of rape were most commonly identified as casual acquaintances of the victims, at 34%; followed by a former partner or spouse, 30%; a current partner or spouse, 23%, and finally a stranger, 22%.

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New Mexico

Wintry Wednesday ahead for New Mexico

Published

13 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

A winter weather advisory remains in effect until Friday morning for a large portion of southern New Mexico. See the latest conditions at KOB.com/Weather.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — Wednesday started snowy for some but just downright chilly for everyone in New Mexico as a blast of winter weather continues.

A winter weather advisory is in effect until Friday at 5 a.m. for swathes of southern New Mexico. In the advisory area, three inches of snow and slick roads are expected.

Across the state, the balmiest temperature was 33° in Silver City but we are going to warm up soon.

Meteorologist Kira Miner shares all the details in her full forecast in the video above.

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New Mexico

Employer roundtables scheduled in southeast NM

Published

21 hours ago

January 8, 2025

Press Room

Jan. 7—Workforce challenges in southeast New Mexico will be the topic of multiple conversations with state and local leaders during a series of roundtables starting today. New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions Cabinet Secretary Sarita Nair will be traveling to the corner of the state to unveil new names and logos for the local workforce centers and to have employer roundtable …

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