Local construction firm recognized Local construction firm Nick Griego & Sons was recognized this year with an Air Combat Command Construction Excellence Award for work done at Cannon Air Force Base, according to documents from an awards ceremony Feb. 17 in Virginia. The ACC Design and Construction Awards were established to recognize contributions to improvements […]
GOP needs to let filibuster continue as designed
Freedom Newspapers Jimmy Stewart fans will probably remember the moment in the classic movie, “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” where Stewart’s title character explains, “Now, I had some pretty good coaching last night, and I find that if I yield only for a question or a point of order or a personal privilege, that I […]
Marine should not face murder charge
by Mona Charen: CNJ columnist Second Lt. Ilario Pantano was making a six-figure income as an energy trader with Goldman Sachs in New York when the World Trade Center was attacked. Pantano had friends who worked in the twin towers and friends among the firefighters who perished trying to save them. ] This Marine veteran, […]
Curry County farmer survived one of the bloodiest campaigns of World War II in Okinawa

By Leslie Radford: CNJ staff writer April Fool’s Day 1945 was not anything to joke about for Lamb Mackechnie. It was the day he landed on the beach at Okinawa for one of bloodiest battles in World War II. Cutting his senior year at Clovis High to join the service, Mackechnie’s first memory of the […]
Committees to impose enrollment fee
by Tom Philpott: CNJ columnist Republican majorities on the House and Senate veterans’ affairs committees have voted to impose an enrollment fee of at least $230 a year on 2.4 million veterans — one of every three now eligible to use VA healthcare. Those targeted are in priority categories 7 and 8, meaning they are […]
Sandoval ,Frances
Services: have been held. Frances Sandoval, 89, of Clovis, died Friday, Feb. 25, 2005, at Plains Regional Medical Center in Clovis. She was born on June 3, 1915, in Colonias, to Guadalupe U. and Ignacita Chavez Martinez. She married Orlando Sandoval on Feb. 24, 1936, in Clovis. She was a homemaker and a member of […]
Old age has as many side effects as pills
by Bob Huber: CNJ columnist I’ve been out of focus the last few days — a flu bug bit me — but I’ve kept busy wallowing in self pity and researching the bad side effects of medicines I saw advertised on television. When you have the flu, you do silly stuff like that. What I […]
Clovis pulls off improbable win
CNJ staff ALBUQUERQUE — With 1:45 left in Friday’s game at Sandia, the Clovis boys basketball team appeared headed for a painful road loss. After trailing by 17 at the end of the third quarter, Clovis still trailed by 12 and were staring at the No. 4 seed in the upcoming District 4-5A tournament. But […]
Lady Cats aiming for first postseason berth

Clovis head coach Brandi Thomas talks to her team before hitting the field for fielding drills Friday at the Lady Wildcats Softball Complex. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) By Eric Butler: CNJ correspondent Big sticks bring attention to the diamond, but first-year Clovis softball coach Brandi Thomas is hoping that the little things — things like […]
Reserve forward does in Hounds in season finale

Irshaun Pinckney takes a long jumper in the first half of Saturday’s Lone Star Conference South Division game. (Freedom Newspapers: Kevin Wilson) By Dave Wagner: Freedom Newspapers PORTALES — Reserve forward Chris White scored a career-high 24 points Saturday night to lead Texas A&M-Kingsville to an 82-73 victory over Eastern New Mexico University in a […]
In Tribute: Auctioneer known for wit
By David Irvin: CNJ staff writer For more than 40 years, Haney Tate was known in the eastern New Mexico farm auction circuit for his dry wit. Tate started auctioning farm equipment about the time World War II was beginning and ran his business, Tate Auction Service, until about 20 years ago. Tate died Feb. […]
Undisputed: Unbeaten Lady Cats finish regular season with win over Sandia

Clovis’ Brittany Blackmon is fouled as she scores two of her 17 points in the first half of Friday’s game against Sandia at Rock Staubus Gym. Clovis defeated Sandia 63-52. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) By Eric Butler: CNJ correspondent A furious late rally the last time the teams met may have given Sandia some hope. […]
Clovis second at home invitational

Clovis’ Matt Ulibarri gets a jump out of the batters box during the Wildcats game against Rio Rancho Saturday in the Clovis Invitational Baseball Tournament at Bell Park. (Staff photo: Eric Kluth) By John Eisel: CNJ sports writer Rio Rancho junior pitcher Mike McDermott threw an ice-cold bucket of water on the hot bats Clovis […]
Clement scores 23 as Texico rolls to 6-2A tourney title
By Eric Butler: CNJ correspondent TEXICO — Opponents tend to concentrate on Texico’s Braden Vaughan and Logan Brown, which is OK with Wolverines coach Rich Luscombe. Clayton held Vaughan and Brown under 10 points each, but the senior tandem of Tony Clement and Josh Pena stepped in to guide the Wolverines to a 63-42 win […]
Zias end year with rout of Kingsville

Heather Brown looks for room on the baseline as she is guarded by Texas A&M Kingsville’s Dely’la Hoodye in the second half of Saturday’s Lone Star Conference South Division game. (Freedom Newspapers: Kevin Wilson) By Dave Wagner: Freedom Newspapers PORTALES — It wasn’t pretty, but the Eastern New Mexico University women’s basketball team went out […]
Cancer center keeps patients close to home

Registered nurse Kim Adams draws blood from Maria Enriquez of Portales on Thursday at the Plains Regional Cancer Center. (CNJ staff photo: Eric Kluth) By David Irvin: CNJ staff writer Until Maria Enriquez was diagnosed with breast cancer in September, she never really paid attention to the disease. Since that time, the 29-year-old Portales resident […]
Q&A: PRMC keeping pace
Wesley White is chief operating and financial officer at Plains Regional Medical Center. He answered questions recently about the hospital expansion. Q. What is capacity now? A.The hospital is licensed for 106 beds. The Intensive Care Unit beds will increase from 8 to 12 in 2007. Q. Is PRMC seeing increase in demand, and how […]
Increases in staff, payroll accompany expansion
By David Irvin: CNJ staff writer The expansion of Plains Regional Medical Center is showing additional benefits beyond adding in-house services such as a cancer treatment center, a rehab center and cardiac care. Thesix-year, $53.5-million project is also making a significant impact on the local economy and has aided in the recruitment of nearly a […]