Week of June 17, 2026
Week of June 17, 2026
Thursday *Curry County Health Council – 3-4 p.m., Commission Chambers, Curry County Administration Complex, 417 Gidding St., Clovis. Information: 575-763-6016 *Clovis City Commission - 5:15 p.m., North Annex, Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main St., Clovis. Information: 575-769-7828 Monday *City of Clovis Parks, Recreation, and Beautification Committee – 5:30 p.m., North Annex, Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main, Clovis. Information: 575-763-9654 *Chat with Portales city manager Scott Mitten – 6 p.m.,...
On this date … 1941: Fred A. Grove of Scottsburg, Ind., visited Tucumcari for the first time since leaving town 17 years ago. Grove, returning to town for a visit, told the Tucumcari Daily News that he was amazed by the many changes the city had undergone. “I hardly recognized it when I stepped off the bus,” he said. Grove was Tucumcari’s police chief for 25 years and was a deputy under Quay County’s first sheriff, Alex Street, in 1904. He recalled helping build a “two by four” city jail. 1941: Mothers of...
Curry County commissioners said yes during their June 11 meeting to a proposed $6.6 million budget for a new regional mental health facility under construction in Clovis, but it was no for a request for extending the burn ban. The burn ban expires July 19. A motion to extend it failed for lack of a second. The budget proposal for Horizon Behavioral Health Center was approved unanimously. It will be forwarded to the New Mexico Health Care Authority for approval and possible funding by the state, according to county staff....
Today *Allen Theatres Summer Kids Series free movie “The Angry Birds Movie” (2016, PG, 1 hour, 37 minutes) – 9 a.m., 11:20 a.m., 1:40 p.m., North Plains Cinema 7, 2809 N. Prince St., Clovis. Free; open to all ages; seating limited to theater capacity; first come, first served. Information: 575-218-7106 *Tiny Tots storytime – 10 a.m., Clovis-Carver Public Library, 701 N. Main St., Clovis. Information: 575-769-7840 *Prehistoric Storytime: Love You to the Moon – 10:30 a.m., Portales Public Library, 218 S. Ave. B,...
TUCUMCARI — A local 64-year-old man was detained on 10 felony charges after being accused of trafficking fentanyl, heroin, methamphetamine and other narcotics, along with illegally possessing several firearms and $79,000 in cash. Romolo R. Mares was charged with four counts of trafficking controlled substances, five counts of receiving, transportation or possession of a firearm by a felon and one count of receiving stolen property (firearm). The trafficking charges, the most serious, are listed as a first-degree felony...
TUCUMCARI — After the level of Conchas Lake dropped by another foot in a month, the Arch Hurley Conservancy District declined to allocate more of the lake’s water into its canals. Board member Debra Mitchell said she didn’t feel the district should divert more water than the 18 inches per acre that it had allocated in March for the current growing season. Board President Robert Lopez responded: “I feel that’s a good idea.” The board then unanimously voted to not allocate more water at this time. The lake’s...
SAN JON — The San Jon Municipal Schools board approved a two-year contract with its new superintendent. Sharla Rusk, the district’s principal for the last three years, will be paid $127,000 a year as superintendent through the life of the pact, which expires in June 2028. “Congratulations,” said several board members following the unanimous vote. Rusk, who replaces John York later this month, oversaw the board meeting last week. York, who was San Jon’s superintendent for about a year, is taking a similar position...
Father might have known best, but mine was a far cry from Jim Anderson played by Robert Young in the 1950s television series “Father Knows Best.” Jim Anderson played a reserved and thoughtful, if not indecisive father of three in a family that came to represent the ideal mid-century American family. Working at an insurance office, he arrived home early each evening to supper on the table, courtesy of his stay-home wife and mother Margaret. Once home he was faced with...
The STARBASE program at Cannon Air Force Base is ready for students. Officials held a ribbon cutting June 11, “bringing hands-on science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics education to students from surrounding communities,” according to a news release from Cannon. Through a partnership with Clovis Community College, a crew of “qualified educators who support classroom learning will expose local students to a variety of career pathways through this new venture,” the release states. “This is an example...
Col. Robert Johnston will relinquish command of the 27th Special Operations Wing to Col. Brett Cassidy during a change of command ceremony set for Thursday, Cannon Air Force Base officials announced. Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command, will preside over the ceremony, according to a Cannon news release. The ceremony is not open to the public. “After two years of command, Johnston will move to his next assignment as Director of Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements for Air Force...
Clovis Booked The following were recently booked into the Curry County Adult Detention Center: • Joseph Artalejo-Ortega, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge • Roger Avalon, 56, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge • Brenda Banda-Gonzalez, 24, aggravated driving while under the influence, • Jonathan Barraza-Munoz, 24, no driver’s license, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer, aggravated driving while under the influence, no proof of insurance • Armando Bermea, 47, battery • Michael Brown, 56,...
TUCUMCARI — The city manager said she didn’t foresee having to impose layoffs in fiscal year 2027 after she submitted a preliminary budget to Tucumcari city commissioners during a work session last week. City Manager Renee Hayoz provided copies of Excel spreadsheets of expenditures and revenue of the next fiscal year that begins on July 1. Upon commissioners’ previous instructions, Hayoz used a mix of data from FY2023 — the last year where financials had been reconciled — and FY2026 for expenses. She admitted that...
Portales school board members on June 8 voted unanimously to retain Superintendent Sharon Rowley for another two years at an annual rate of $162,683. “Fantastic” was the description used by school board President Cade Standifer as he characterized the work of Rowley, who has been at the helm of the school district since March 2024. Rowley succeeded Johnnie Cain, who retired after 11 years as Portales’ superintendent. Standifer also outlined additional monies allotted to Rowley as part of the job she performs,...
TUCUMCARI - About 30 people associated with the cross-country Route 66 Main Street of America Centennial Caravan stopped here Monday morning, and there's more where that came from. Businesses and entities along historic Route 66 have reported a surge of travelers this year - the 100th anniversary of the highway coming into existence. That includes Rob Federico, co-owner of the Blue Swallow Motel in Tucumcari, who gave his spiel about the history of the Route 66 landmark to...
They should be thinking of grand-opening ceremonies for the region’s new behavioral health facility. Instead, government leaders are getting nervous, and a gap in needed operating funds appears to be growing. That was the alarm sounded June 9 by Roosevelt County Manager Meadow Forget at a regular County Commission meeting. The projected need to operate the facility before funding is released — a gap regional partners had already planned to bridge — has surprised regional partners. It’s grown from a projected $2...
Potter Park in Clovis is set to host Juneteenth from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Organizers have planned free food, community vendors, live entertainment, and swimming. The event is sponsored by the Clovis United Ministerial Alliance. Clovis has been celebrating Juneteenth since at least 1987, though it took a break during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the recognition began in Clovis community churches, it’s been a community-wide celebration since the mid-1990s, attracting upward of 600 people at times. Juneteenth marks...
Clovis' annual Draggin' Main festivities revved up Sunday and will go through Saturday night's cruise down the bricks on Main. Sherri Wilson, the marketing director for the region's "premier automotive celebration," said officials expect 20,000 people will be watching or participating in events that run through the Saturday Cruise, which starts at 5 p.m. and goes until about 10 p.m. About 7,000 are expected for the Gearhead Gathering set for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the...
TUCUMCARI - Eight people at the Tucumcari City Commission meeting on Thursday voiced their opposition to the firing the previous week of the library director. Linda Gonzalez, director of the Tucumcari Public Library for 10 years, was fired on June 3. She also spoke in her defense at the meeting. City officials, citing confidential personnel matters, declined to state the reason for her dismissal. Gonzalez said in an interview with The News that two current employees and one...
A 19-year-old woman suffered a gunshot wound early Monday in what Clovis police described as a domestic dispute with her boyfriend. Records show Ayana Saiz was shot in the left thumb, the bullet also grazing the left side of her face. She told police that her boyfriend and his mother, Ruby Outlaw, 38, took her to the Clovis hospital. She also said the boyfriend told her that if she “snitched on him, he would kill her,” records show. The suspect, 17, was arrested and transported to a juvenile detention center in...
A Clovis man was killed in a head-on collision Friday morning on NM 245. “(A) Chevrolet Impala traveling southbound crossed the center line and collided head-on with an Infiniti,” according to a news release from New Mexico State Police. “The driver of the Infiniti, 26-year-old Juan Jose Ramirez of Clovis, was pronounced deceased at the scene. “The driver of the Impala sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital before being airlifted to a second hospital for further treatment.” Police said...
A lawyer for Clovis Municipal Schools is citing confidentiality while declining to release details of a settlement in federal court with the parent of an autistic student deemed too violent to attend classes. Terms of the May 13 settlement are not disclosed in records at U.S. District Court in Albuquerque. On June 9, the school board’s attorney — Laura Castille of Las Cruces — declined a request to disclose terms of the settlement, saying terms are confidential and she didn’t have permission from the board to speak...
Hillcrest Senior Life Center 1704 E. Seventh St., Clovis (575) 769-7908 Menu Today: Pork chops, gravy, brown rice pilaf, California blend vegetables with unsalted butter, applesauce Thursday: Chile relleno, pinto beans, Spanish rice, Capri vegetables, plums Friday: Ham and cheese sandwich, Sun Chips, carrot-raisin salad, three-bean salad, cantaloupe June 22: Baked tilapia, tartar sauce, brown rice pilaf, vegetable medley with unsalted butter, pineapple chunks and mandarin oranges June 23: Barbecued chicken, cucumber and...
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. “Just Don’t Fall” by Emma St. Clair. Before Logan Barnes was hockey’s hottest bad boy, he was my brother’s best friend and my first crush. Oh, yeah-and the guy who ghosted me and broke my heart. Now Logan is back in Harvest Hollow, but...
Former Tucumcari High School sports star Caylee Benavidez is back in town this summer and running a youth volleyball camp during the month of June. The camp at the middle school gym - which concentrates on defense and setting - saw her putting young players through their paces, including carrying hula hoops during one drill. After a camp session, Benavidez talked about excelling at four sports in high school despite having lifelong chronic kidney disease, the transition of...
Services Click Here to View Obituaries • Jimmy Caywood, 80, died June 9. Information: Wheeler Mortuary • Diana Chavez, 76, died June 9. Information: Ellis Funeral Home • Josefina Hands, 64, died June 9. Information: Chavez Funeral Home • Jay Hare Jr., 33, died June 9. Information: Chavez Funeral Home • Linda Harrison, 78, died June 10. Information: Muffley Funeral Home • Theo Johnson, 93, died June 12. Information: Muffley Funeral Home • Bernie Lopez, 90, died...
It doesn't feel hyperbolic to say the Brendan Sorsby case is an inflection point for the history of whatever remains of the NCAA's ability to govern college athletics. There doesn't seem to be a way back if the ruling body has no course of action to discipline a player who so egregiously has violated one of the most cardinal rules in sports. It's a complicated case, so a deep dive into the details is recommended for anyone with a curious legal mind. But the CliffsNotes...
FORT WORTH, Texas - For the past eight months, Texas Tech booster Cody Campbell has been accused by fans, coaches and now an increasing number of irritated college athletic officials of "trying to have his cake and eat it, too." Sprinkled about this sentiment are an array of four-letter words. The football field at Texas Tech's AT&T Jones Stadium is named after Cody Campbell, as he has donated to Tech, and led its efforts to become a top college football team through the...
Two area softball players recently earned all-state honors from the New Mexico High School Coaches Association. In Class 4A, Portales’ Addyson Mayberry earned second-team honors as a catcher. She led the 7-18 Rams in home runs (3) and fielding average (.973). In Class 1A/2A, Tucumcari freshman Hayley Naranjo was an honorable mention infielder. She led the 10-13 Lady Rattlers in on-base percentage (.698) and stolen bases...
Grady junior catcher Andre Garcia was named Player of the Year and Bronchos coach Mike Garcia was named Coach of the Year among Class 1A baseball all-state selections. The state-champion Bronchos saw five players earn first- or second-team honors from the New Mexico High School Coaches Association, which announced the annual picks. Andre Garcia was the lone first-team pick for Grady. He led the team in batting average (.589), on-base percentage (.684), home runs (7) and runs...
