September 5th, Morning News
Mother Sentenced on Trauncy Charges Museum Opening to be Held Saturday CAFB to Host First Friday Event DWI Patrol on Saturday Night
With school in session just a few short weeks, one local parent is facing the consequences of her actions from the 2007-2008 school year. On Thursday, Amanda Miller pled guilty to the charge of Failure to Enforce Compulsory School Attendence. It was determined that during the previous school year, Miller, age 45, failed to enforce her daughter to attend Marshall Middle School, where the daughter accumulated 65 unexcused abscences. Students who have more than 10 unexcused in a school year are considered to be a "habitual truant." As a result of her sentence, Miller must serve 182 days of supervised probation. In addition, she must also ensure that her daughter attends school, attend a 16 week parenting class, undergo drug and alcohol screening and counseling and pay court fees and fines. Though first time offenses are not punishiable by jail, second or subsequent convictions are punishiable by up to six months in jail and/or a $500 fine.
The red carpet is rolling out for the opening of the Norman and Vi Petty Rock and Roll Museum. The grand opening celebration will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Located in the downstairs section of the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce, the museum is an honor to the contributions that the Petty’s have made to the world of rock and roll music. Items on display in the museum include old radios, equipment and musical instruments that were used in recording sessions at the Norman and Vi Petty Recording Studio, a baby grand piano and clothes. Several pictures that have been donated by the community are also on display. Story boards have also been created and are displayed with many of the photos. According to chamber officials, information and memorabilia from nearly everyone who recorded at the studios is on display. Some of the artists represented in the museum include The Fireballs, The Crickets, Buddy Holly and local musicians Paul Size and Nick Baglien, who recorded as the band Triaxx, several years ago.
Cannon Air Force Base will be hosting their First Friday event this evening from 5 to 8 p.m. This event is open to the public and allows for members of the community and Cannon to meet and mingle and answer questions in relation to whats happening both on and off the base. For more information or to make a reservation to attend the event, contact The Landing.
From 11 p.m. Saturday evening through 3 a.m. Sunday morning, officers with the Clovis Police Department will be conducting DWI Saturation Patrols. The patrols will take place within the City of Clovis and officers will be specifically targeting drunk drivers.
September 4th, Afternoon News
Clovis PD Still Investigating Shooting
With a new school year comes a rekindling of past relationships with friends, and perhaps old boyfriends and girlfriends, however a youthful romance turned into a shooting at the KFC on North Prince Street following school yesterday. The Clovis Police Department responded to a “shots fired” call in the parking lot of the restaurant. A 17-year old alleged suspect in the shooting apparently fired several rounds in the direction of the south side of the parking lot, according to witnesses at the scene. He then apparently fled in a maroon Chevrolet Blazer. One 17-year old female present at the KFC said that she was at the drive-up window with another individual, and that the shooter was targeting the two. She went on to say that it was believed the suspect was an ex-boyfriend. The Clovis Police Department investigated the parking lot and found shell casings from a .22 caliber, and two areas on the side of the building where the shots had impacted. The 17-year old suspect was located, questioned, and released to parents yesterday evening. The investigation is ongoing and charges are pending at this time, and names will not be released until the charges are filed.
Norman and Vi Petty Rock and Roll Museum Opens Saturday
The red carpet is rolling out for the opening of the Norman and Vi Petty Rock and Roll Museum. The grand opening celebration will take place at 4 p.m. on Saturday. Located in the downstairs section of the Clovis/Curry County Chamber of Commerce, the museum is an honor to the contributions that the Petty’s have made to the world of rock and roll music. Items on display in the museum include old radios, equipment and musical instruments that were used in recording sessions at the Norman and Vi Petty Recording Studio, a baby grand piano and clothes. Several pictures that have been donated by the community are also on display. Storyboards have also been created and are displayed with many of the photos. According to chamber officials, information and memorabilia from nearly everyone who recorded at the studios is on display. Some of the artists represented in the museum include The Fireballs, The Crickets, Buddy Holly and local musicians Paul Size and Nick Baglien, who recorded as the band Triaxx, several years ago.
September 4th, Morning News
Several Topics Discussed at Commission Meeting Shooting Occurs at KFC
Shooting Occurs at KFC
After a lengthy executive session Wednesday morning, Curry County Commissioners got down to business. Susan Ferrell, fairgrounds manager reported that over $38,000 was collected from the fair through money received from gate, vendor and livestock pass totals. According to Ferrell, everything was totaled and did balance out with the treasurer’s office. Ferrell went on to report that several vendors from this years fair have placed deposits for the 2009 fair and anticipate returning. A budget resolution in the amount of an $850,000 state grant was approved for the design, construction and equipping of items for the Curry County Special Events Center. The commission also approved resolutions’ totaling more than $400,000. The three separate amounts were approved by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and will be used for the road improvements within the county. County manager Lance Pyle reported that Curry County Detention Center transport officers would now be reporting to Sheriff Matt Murray. Sheriff Murray reported that the search for the remaining four escapees is ongoing with assistance from the US Marshals Service and the New Mexico State Police.
Officials with the Clovis Police Department confirmed late yesterday afternoon that a shooting did occur at the Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant located on Prince Street. No injuries were reported as of late afternoon. No further details were available as of this newscast. We will bring you further details on this incident as we receive them.
ENMU Department Receives Grant for Schlorships
Two Eastern New Mexico University professors have received a grant from the Nation Science Foundation. The $575,552 grant will be used for need-based schlorships. Tom Brown, chair mathematical sciences and Mohamad Ahmadian, proffesor of computer science, spent nearly four months putting together a proposal for the S-STEM grant that gives schlorships to students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Creators of the grant are hoping to support the bridge program between community colleges in the region and ENMU. Students who attend Clovis Community College, New Mexico Junior College and ENMU-Roswell are eligiable to receive the schlorship and may continue receiving it if they so choose to finish their degrees at ENMU. The grant will go into effect in September of 2009 and an advisory committee consisting of represenatives from the different departments will choose the recipients. At this time it has not been determined how many students the grant will assist.
September 3rd, Afternoon News
Many Topics Covered at Commission Meeting
After a lengthy executive session this morning, Curry County Commissioners got down to business. Susan Ferrell, fairgrounds manager reported that over $38,000 was collected from the fair through money received from gate, vendor and livestock pass totals. According to Ferrell, everything was totaled and did balance out with the treasurer’s office. Ferrell went on to report that several vendors from this years fair have placed deposits for the 2009 fair and anticipate returning.
A budget resolution in the amount of an $850,000 state grant was approved for the design, construction and equipping of items for the Curry County Special Events Center. The commission also approved resolutions’ totaling more than $400,000. The three separate amounts were approved by the New Mexico Department of Transportation and will be used for the road improvements within the county. County manager Lance Pyle also reported that the Curry County Detention Center officers would now be reporting to Sheriff Matt Murray. Sheriff Murray reported that the search for the remaining four escapees is ongoing with assistance from the US Marshals Service and the New Mexico State Police. Reports from interim detetnion center Audrey Barriga show that there are currently 188 prisoners in the jail, with 41 being female.
Local Farmer Nominated for National Board
Senator Jeff Bingaman wrote a letter to the US Department of Agriculture in support of a local farm owner to be appointed to serve on the National Sorghum Promotion, Research and Information Board. James Bostwick, of Clovis, received a ringing endorsement from Bingaman to assume one of the at-large positions on the board, which works to advance sorghum into the ethanol market and develop foreign markets for sorghum. In his letter, Bingaman stated that Bostwick has 39 years of farming experience, in addition to being a member of the National Sorghum Producers, and that he would be an asset in developing markets for the product. Bingaman listed the various committees on which Bostwick has served, such as the Farm Service Agency’s State Committee. Bostwick owns and operates Bostwick Farms Inc., a 9600-acre operation in Curry County in a partnership with his son.
September 3rd, Morning News
RCF Looking for Funding for Improvements ENMU Nursing Program Awarded Grant ENMRWA Conducting Workshop Today
Steps are being taken in an effort to obtain funding for a new building at the Roosevelt County Fairgrounds. During Tuesday mornings Roosevelt County Commission meeting, commissioners gave the approval to set some plans in motion. Those plans include proceding with an architect prelimenary design and cost estimate. Results of this step will then be used to apply for a USDA Rural Development loan. Charlene Hardin, Roosevelt County Administrator, as well as Sharon King, chamber director and Tim Allison, RCF Fairboard president have all been working together in an effort to locate funding that can be used for improvements at the fairgrounds. Hardin stated that the group has been looking for grant sources and other funding that could also be used for the upgrade. According to King, upgrading the fairgrounds could be a beneficial assest to the community.
The nursing program at Eastern New Mexico has been awarded a grant through the New Mexico Higher Education Department. The $691,000 grant will be used to increase retetnion, recruit and bring in new faculty to the institution. In addition, it will also provide funding for nurses within the state obtain a bachelors of Science in nursing. The nursing program at Eastern is designed for registered nurses to obtain their bachelors degree. Since fall of last year, the completley online program has seen an increase of 224 percent in enrollment. Nursing graduates from the program are serving as nurses in 42 communites, 22 of those being within New Mexico. In the next three to five years, ENMU is hoping to expand their nursing program to include a masters program and deveolpment of a nurse practioners program. A study conducted by the University of New Mexico says that New Mexico is expected to have a 52 percent nursing shortage by the year 2020.
The Eastern New Mexico Rural Water Authority will be conducting a workshop this morning at 10 a.m. The "Water Utility Authority" workshop will take place at the Clovis City Hall Assembly Room. Any questions regarding this workshop may be directed to the Clovis City Managers Office.
