Local Numbers Still Low Boutique Takes Last Flight
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WEEKEND EDITION SUNDAY,MAY 3,2020 Inside: $1.50 District hears COVID-19 report. — Page 3 Vol. 92 ◆ No. 10 SERVING CLOVIS, PORTALES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES EasternNewMexicoNews.com Stay-at-home order amended ❏ Restrictions eased, It seems like you need a scorecard to Inside keep track of the stay-at-home orders and the updates of the stay-at-home including some outdoor ■ Greenhouses open again in limited capacity orders, but this one doesn’t change any- activities, like golf. ■ Texas reopens — to a degree thing for restaurants that were already — Page 7 restricted to curbside and delivery serv- By Peter Stein ice only. Nor does it change the fact that STAFF WRITER grocers and essential retailers can only [email protected] Sanchez, Romero and anyone else who operate at 20 percent of their maximum CLOVIS — Sergio Sanchez has been likes golfing in Clovis and throughout capacity. playing golf for about a year. the state. In a remote news conference, The order does allow most non- His buddy, Adrian Romero, has been Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham amended essential retail services to offer curb- playing for 23 years, since he was 5. her stay-at-home order. side pickup and delivery. Federally Both are equally avid golfers, though, While New Mexico’s emergency licensed firearms stores can open by and both had been denied the opportu- public health order will continue to run appointment only, state parks can open Staff photo: Peter Stein nity to play in Clovis due to restrictions through at least May 15, it has been during the day, veterinarians can oper- put in place to combat the coronavirus. revised to ease some restrictions, Adrian Romero relaxes in his golf cart, which he wasn’t Thursday brought good news for including some outdoor activities. ORDER on Page 11 allowed to share because of social distancing. Local numbers still low ❏ COVID-19 cases soaring in Texas Panhandle. STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS Curry and Roosevelt counties have had just 26 positive cases of COVID-19 reported between them as of Saturday morning, with no deaths. That’s the good news. The bad news comes from west of the region, and especially from the east. New Mexico surpassed 3,500 cases of the virus on Friday and the state’s death toll reached 131 — up from 2,726 cases and 99 deaths last Sunday. The greater concern is just 100 miles to the east, where Texas Panhandle numbers have soared in the past week. Potter and Randall counties, which include Amarillo, had 940 cases as of Saturday, com- pared to 490 last Sunday. Moore County, with a population of 22,000 just north of Amarillo, had reported 363 cases of COVID-19 on Saturday, compared to 252 last Sunday. Staff photo: Kevin Wilson Moore, Potter, Randall and Lubbock coun- ties make up about 2 percent of Texas’ popu- Capt. Stacy Evans, right, talks with Boutique Regional Manager Teresa Mesman in the moments before piloting Flight 455 lation, but they had more than 6 percent of the to Dallas-Fort Worth International Thursday. state’s positive COVID-19 cases as of noon Saturday. The four counties have seen 60 virus-relat- ed deaths, according to Texas health officials. Lubbock had 43 of those fatalities as of Boutique takes last flight Saturday. “We are doing everything in our power to ❏ Farewell reception Inside help our city attack the outbreak,” Amarillo Mayor Ginger Nelson said. “I know many of you are watching our numbers. You’re con- held after just under ■ Denver Air takes over at airport six years in service. — Page 2 VIRUS on Page 11 By Kevin Wilson EDITOR connecting hub. [email protected] And that is why Pearson’s CLOVIS — Kent Pearson timing was so fortunate. He strolled into Clovis Municipal installs X-ray machines for Airport on Thursday afternoon, food plants, and touched down then checked in, dropped off in Amarillo a few days ago for his rental car key and checked work in Portales and other his bag like he’s done at count- cities a rental car drive away. less other airports. However, he hadn’t planned the Then he was told to help return trip. himself to the front counter Staff photo: Kevin Wilson “I couldn’t get a flight out of Amarillo or Lubbock at a spread with sodas, a meat and The final flight out of Clovis for Boutique Air is marked with cheese tray and dozens of cup- decent time, or any time,” an archway salute from the Clovis Fire Department. cakes creating the Boutique Air Pearson said, “so I sprang for Staff photo: Kevin Wilson logo with a border of vanilla Dallas flight via Boutique was company after five years to the this.” Jessica Bean of Roosevelt General Hospi He was soon joined on and chocolate. also the air carrier’s last. day. tal gives a COVID-19 test during the hos- Unaware of what he’d stum- Boutique’s King Air 350 by pital’s drive-thru testing Saturday at the G bled into, he asked himself, “Is The food and drink was part Essential Air Service another more veteran Boutique this how they treat EVERY pas- of an informal reception to resumed Friday in Clovis passenger and members of the reyhound Stadium parking lot. A total of 1 senger?” mark Boutique’s run of just through Denver Air crew, who were flying back to 54 tests were administered between 7 a. Nope, just impeccable timing under six years in Clovis and Connections, a not-so-subtle m. and 1 p.m., with the majority issued in t by Pearson. His first Clovis-to- Stacy Evans’ last flight with the clue Dallas is no longer the BOUTIQUE on Page 11 he event’s first two hours. Forecast: Today Monday Tuesday Index Calendars ............................2 Voices ..............................4-5 Reach us at: High: 87 High: 91 High: 75 Classified ..........................12 Obituaries ............................6 (575) 763-3431 Low: 58 Low: 53 Low: 47 Life....................................8-9 PAGE 2 ✦ SUNDAY, MAY 3, 2020 LOCAL THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS Denver Air takes over at airport Area events Tuesday learn more, call 2-1-1 between 8 By Kevin Wilson ■ Giving Tuesday Now: A a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday EDITOR Global Generosity Movement — through Friday [email protected] all day. Global day of giving and ■ Free lessons from unity in response to Covid 19. Albuquerque Public Schools — CLOVIS — Different Individuals are encouraged to give aired 8 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday carrier, different planes, voice, goods, time, or money to on KENW 3-2. Lessons include different direction. organizations or individuals to help sign-language interpreter and some A quick transition was people in need. Information: Spanish-speaking classes. made Friday at Clovis https://www.givingtuesday.org/ Mondays/Wednesdays/Fridays: 8 Municipal Airport, with a.m., grades K-1 Denver Air Connection Thursday Fundamentals/English Language taking over Essential Air ■ National Day of Prayer Arts Writing; 9 a.m., English Service operations at the Language Development (bilingual); facility. 10 a.m., grades 2-3 English; 11 The U.S. Department of May 30 ■ a.m., grades 4-5 English. Transportation selected Virtual commencement for Tuesdays/Thursdays: 8 a.m., Key Lime Air in February Eastern New Mexico University grades K-1 Math/Science; 9 a.m., for a two-year order to take — 10 a.m., pre-recorded and English Language Development over for Boutique Air, broadcast statewide on KENW 3-1 (bilingual); 10 a.m., grades 2-3 which had offered Clovis and 3-2; available as a live webcast Math/Science; 11 a.m., grades 4-5 residents service to Dallas- at enmu.edu. Information: 575-562- Math/Science. Information: 575- Fort Worth International 2175 or [email protected] 562-2112 Airport since 2014. Staff photo: Kevin Wilson Denver Air Connection, Ongoing Denver Air Connection started business Friday at Clovis Municipal Airport, with daily ■ To place an item on the events a subsidiary of Key Lime Covid 19 recovery fund — Air, now offers a dozen flights to and from Denver International Airport. assistance available from United calendar, call the newsroom at round trips weekly between Way of Eastern New Mexico to help 575-763-6991 or e-mail: jet service to Clovis,” contract conclusion and a.m. with housing, utilities, food, etc. To [email protected] Clovis Municipal Airport President and CEO Cliff DAC was tasked to move ■ Denver to Clovis, (abbreviation CVN) and Honeycutt said in a into its new place in a mat- 11:50 a.m. (no Tuesday or Denver International Wednesday city press ter of hours. The first-day Wednesday flight) Airport (DIA). flights largely took staff ■ Area meetings The selection of Key release. “Our passengers Clovis to Denver, 2 Lime Air came as a shock appreciate our excellent between Clovis and p.m. (no Tuesday or Meetings are subject to change al format. Information: 575-769- reliability, on time per- Denver, but Director of Wednesday flight) to a task force and a Clovis ■ due to coronavirus concerns 4001 City Commission that had formance and customer Operations Jeff Taylor said Denver to Clovis, 6:30 one revenue passenger took recommended to part ways service. Denver p.m. Tuesday Thursday International provides pas- the first Denver-to-Clovis Flights to Denver are with Boutique, but keep ■ Curry County Commission ■ Clovis City Commission — sengers access to destina- flight. scheduled for 90 minutes DFW as the connecting hub — 9 a.m., teleconference. 5:15 p.m., North Annex, Clovis- through another provider. tions throughout the world. Flights will take place and flights to Clovis are Information: https://www.currycoun- Additionally, our twice aboard DAC’s green, white scheduled for 80 minutes.