Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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CLOVIS — Funeral homes across New Mexico and West Texas have had a 15% to 18% increase in services they provide since June, according to Legacy Funeral Group Regional Director Bill Vallie. About 50% of the recent deaths being handled by Legacy in Roswell, Hobbs and Ruidoso are related to COVID-19, while 80% in the West Texas region of Midland and Odessa are COVID-related, according to Vallie, who said Legacy's Clovis location, Steed-Todd Funeral Home, has seen less of an increase but still has been busier than usual. “It might have been June be...
Despite triple-digit temperatures, officials in eastern New Mexico are not worried about running out of water this summer. City of Portales Public Works Director John DeSha said Portales residents and entities have done such a good job with conservation efforts in the last few years that Portales is in a much better position with water now than it has been in years with a steady decline in water consumption — it has dropped about 20 percent in the last few years. DeSha said the city usually starts seeing water consumption increase at the end o...
PORTALES — Tears were flowing Saturday night as Miss Las Cruces Taylor Rey, 22, was crowned the 2017 Miss New Mexico. Rio Grande's Outstanding Teen Sienna Mascarenas, 16, of Albuquerque, was crowned Miss New Mexico's Outstanding Teen. "I am absolutely ecstatic," Rey said. "I never actually thought this would happen." Rey had competed three times previously, twice for Miss New Mexico and once for Miss New Mexico Outstanding Teen. Previous to the win, however, she took two years off to finish c...
PORTALES — Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority board members voted Friday that the water pipeline to Portales will be the next phase of the Ute water pipeline project. ENMWUA Executive Director Justin Howalt told board members the water authority needed direction on which phase to work on next from Cannon Air Force Base, whether it be the pipeline to Clovis, the one to Melrose and Grady or the one to Portales. Board member David Lansford suggested the Portales pipeline be the next phase, because Portales city officials and councilors h...
PORTALES — New Mexico Department of Agriculture officials visited Portales on Tuesday to tell ag producers they will be charged an additional fee for becoming organic certified. NMDA Marketing and Development Division Director David Lucero referenced a meeting with locals in August 2016 to discuss with them the possibilities for NMDA’s organic program. In August, Lucero had told ranchers and dairy operators that program fees were not offering enough financing to keep the self-sustaining program operational, and they needed suggestions of wha...
The annual Tucumcari Elementary School Track and Field Day event was an overall success, according to its coordinator Gary Hittson. Hittson, along with teaching at the elementary school, also coaches high school cross country, track and basketball. He said he has been running the elementary track event for 10 years, and "it was going on before I got here, so it's been going on a while." The even is a kind of end of school year celebration in which third-fifth graders compete in various obstacle...
A new face will be heading up boys basketball at Logan Municipal Schools next school year. Logan High School graduate Kyle Griffiths will be joining the school district from Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, where he currently teaches elementary school physical education and coaches high school football. He coached basketball his previous nine years in Oklahoma. Coach Randy Robertson recently left the school district. Griffiths grew up in Deming but spent his junior and senior years in high school at Logan schools where he played basketball, baseball...
By Alisa Boswell Managing editor [email protected] Most people may see summer as a time of relaxation. But when you run a dinosaur museum, summer vacation doesn't exist, according to the scientists of the Mesalands Community College Dinosaur Museum. With history to be dug up and more classes to teach, there's no time for throwing your feet up, said museum Director Gretchen Gurtler. "I turned in my grades for finals on Monday and my first class (for the summer) starts Saturday," Gurtler said last week as she sat hovering over her computer a...
Area agriculture officials and producers all agreed on Friday that local agriculture isn't producing in a major category - its own perspective. New Mexico Department of Agriculture Secretary Jeff Witte, along with New Mexico State University extension program officials, visited the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds Friday afternoon as part of the annual Ag Expo to hear from local producers about their concerns regarding the ag industry. "I think we all realize because of the world we live in, there...
FLOYD - While he had only ever driven through Floyd in the past, Tucumcari resident Andy Swapp said he was thoroughly impressed by what he saw Thursday night at the 67th annual Floyd Country Jamboree. "My kids and wife play in one of the little bands and their sound check and setting up the sound system was very professional, really well done," he said. Swapp's wife, Sharla, and his daughters performed in a band called Tucumcari Crossroads for the annual country music concert fundraiser held by...
By Alisa Boswell Managing editor [email protected] PORTALES — New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Jeff Witte is taking advantage of this year’s Portales Ag Expo by reaching out to his local constituents. Witte will be at the Jake Lopez Community Center at 3 p.m. Friday for a “listening session” to hear concerns from local farmers. “It’s really an opportunity to go out and talk to local folks and get to know them and talk about ag issues,” Witte said. “We want to make sure we hear from current New Mexico farmers what’s important with th...
FLOYD — It all started in 1917 with 38-year-old Chicago business leader Melvin Jones telling members of his local business club that they should reach beyond business issues and address the betterment of their communities. In 1925, Helen Keller addressed the Lions Clubs International Convention and challenged Lions to become "knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness." The rest is history. And it was this history that drew Floyd Lions Club member Wade Carter into joining his local Lions Club. “I’ve always been concerned about donatin...
The future might be brighter for eastern New Mexico, where solar energy is concerned as solar technology prices continue falling and the renewable energy tax credit remains. The Solar Energy Industries Association reports that solar photovoltaic (PV) prices have fallen by 19 percent over the last year and by 62 percent over the last five years. According to SEIA, there are 112 solar companies in New Mexico with 634 megawatts installed around the state, 253 megawatts in 2016 alone. The organization is predicting a growth of another 1,747...
Few questions were asked by regional residents following a presentation by Cannon Air Force Base commander Col. Buck Elton Wednesday morning, during which he it made clear base officials are highly supportive of wind energy development. Curry and Roosevelt County land owners were invited to participate in the meeting, which addressed regional wind technology development and how it affects Cannon's special operations forces. Alisa Boswell: CMI staff Cannon commander Col. Buck Elton takes...
Sunland Peanuts Inc. of Portales was recognized as one of the top 100 privately-owned businesses in New Mexico last week at a luncheon in Albuquerque. The New Mexico Private 100 luncheon held Thursday was sponsored by Albuquerque businesses and recognized privately-owned businesses which largely impact New Mexico economy and create a high number of jobs. "We tend to lose sight of the fact that the smaller privately-owned businesses are the cornerstone, the baseline for employment in New Mexico," said Steven Keene, a regional partner with Moss... Full story
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Wildlife Services division has saved dairy operations and others in Curry and Roosevelt counties an estimated $2 million through a program that captures and kills coyotes, according to USDA officials. Brian Archuleta, New Mexico southeast district supervisor for the USDA, said coyotes are an issue for dairies because they kill and injure calves. Archuleta said there was $7,000 worth of actual damage done to Roosevelt County dairy calves in the last fiscal year (July 2011-June 2012) and more than $31,000... Full story
Joshua Baca, an adviser for the Veterans Business Outreach Center of Albuquerque, sat at a table with First Sgt. Robert Scales of the New Mexico Army National Guard and businessman Donald Sawyer. Alisa Boswell: CMI staff First Sgt. Robert Scales, left, of the New Mexico Army National Guard, and businessman Donald Sawyer, center, talk about business strategies with Joshua Baca, advisor for the Veterans Business Outreach Center of Albuquerque. Baca counseled veteran business owners and veterans in... Full story
Roosevelt and Curry counties will keep fire restrictions in place for now even though the New Mexico State Forestry Division will lift statewide fire restrictions 8 a.m. today. The state ban being lifted includes smoking, fireworks, camp fires and open fires. Curry County's fire restriction expires the end of July. Roosevelt County's around the first of August. Curry County Commissioner Wendell Bostwick said he feels many parts of the county are still dry, so he believes the county restrictions should remain in place. "I think it's better serve... Full story
The Portales affilate of the Public Broadcasting System is in the midst of auctioning off more than 1,500 donated items for its biggest fundraiser of the year. Alisa Boswell: Portales News-Tribune Sheryl Borden, marketing director for the KENW television station in Portales, goes through items for auction Tuesday at the station. Borden said the auction includes 1,500 items and is the station's biggest annual fundraiser. KENW television station is auctioning off 1,500 donated items for its biggest fundraiser of the year, according to Marketing...
Local state representatives say big changes are in store for state House districts under a new redistricting plan declared law Tuesday by Santa Fe Judge James Hall. "My district currently stretches from Portales to the Colorado state line, but in the new map, I would take on a bigger portion of Portales, almost the whole eastern portion," said Rep. Dennis Roch, of District 67. "It's a pretty compact district now compared to the one that took me all the way out to Clayton." Roch said he is very happy with the changes to his district, because...