SATURDAY,JAN. 27, 2018 Inside: 75¢ Trump denies Times report. — Page 4B Vol. 89 ◆ No. 259 SERVING CLOVIS, PORTALES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES EasternNewMexicoNews.com Courthouse evacuated ❏ A suspicious package near the law library was reported. BY THE STAFF OF THE NEWS “suspicious characteris- to determine (the pack- tics.” Agencies including age’s) origin,” Waller said. CLOVIS — Law Clovis police and firefight- Waller said a bomb threat enforcement evacuated the ers closed off the roads in called into the courthouse Curry County Courthouse one block each direction around 10:30 a.m. Friday and closed off a two-block from Seventh and Mitchell was still under investiga- perimeter near downtown streets. tion, but that threat was Clovis several hours Friday Officials with Cannon evaluated in the morning afternoon before a bomb Air Force Base’s Explosive and did not result in the squad determined a suspi- Ordnance Disposal team building’s evacuation. cious package found out- were on scene with a bomb side the Dan Buzzard Law disposal robot before 4 Officials did not immedi- Library was not an explo- p.m. and responders ately respond to questions sive device. remained after 6 p.m. to about whether Friday's Sheriff Wesley Waller conduct a secondary search incidents may have been said the package, reported of the area after evaluating connected to reports early around 2 p.m. outside the the package. this week about "telephon- building near Eighth and “We will now conduct an ic threats" that had resulted Mitchell streets, featured investigation and attempt in three arrests. Staff photo: Tony Bullocks Above: An airman with Cannon Air Force Base's Explosive Ordnance Disposal team begins work to help determine the contents of a suspicious package found near the Curry County Courthouse on Friday afternoon. Staff photo: Kevin Wilson Right: Members of Cannon Air Force Base’s Explosive Ordnance Disposal team plan out retrieval of a suspicious package from the law library building adjacent to the Curry County Courthouse Friday afternoon. No explosive materials were found. Floyd Damages by vandals student winning could prove costly ❏ Officials estimate $40K roads into gravel. Patching the potholes will cost the city possible in road repairs $7,000 to $10,000 a block, according to speller DeSha, while rebuilding the road would ❏ from mineral oil spill. cost three to four times that amount. Brock Fowler “We’d have to remove all the material takes Roosevelt By Eamon Scarbrough that has that contamination in it, if it’s STAFF WRITER there. Normally what we do is grind the County Spelling Bee. [email protected] stuff up in place and use it as sub-base, but Correspondent photo: Betty Williamson we’d have to take that out,” he said. From left, Friday's top spellers were Brock Fowler, PORTALES — Thursday’s mineral oil BY THE STAFF OF THE NEWS spill in Portales could potentially cost the DeSha said the city has its own budgets Susana Klassen, Maggie Wooldridge and Rietta city $40,000 per block in road repairs. for road repair, which contains enough PORTALES — A Stephens. money to handle most of the damage. "refugee" was big news on The incident, called vandalism by offi- cials, saw a massive amount of mineral oil “What would probably happen, if it was the campus of Eastern New Albuquerque in March. in the senior division, leak from a J.D. Heiskell feed manufactur- a tremendous amount of repair, we would Mexico University on Roosevelt County including the winner and ing facility into a 3 1/2 block radius in stabilize as best we could for now and Friday. Spelling Bee Director runner-up from the junior downtown Portales. budget (repair funds) for the next budget,” Just ask Brock Fowler. Carol Erwin also presented division competition held Police said they could not provide infor- he said. The Floyd youngster Brock with a $500 scholar- immediately ahead of that. mation on the criminal investigation relat- In the meantime, however, the city is spelled the word correctly ship to be held on account Maggie Wooldridge from ed to the spill. simply monitoring the situation for dam- to win the Roosevelt for him at ENMU. Lindsey-Steiner spelled Crews from the city of Portales and the age. County Spelling Bee. It was “dugong,” a medi- “prescription” and “chin- New Mexico Department of DeSha added that his department is still It took 12 rounds — the putting down sand to absorb what’s left of um-sized water mammal chilla” correctly after Transportation spent the day absorbing the last five with Brock and related to the manatee, that the oil. Rietta Stephens of Floyd oil with sand, but roads will face some Dora's Susana Klassen sank Susana during the damage regardless, according to Portales “What we’re doing is, we pick it up missed “mizzle,” meaning matching skills — before finals. Public Works Director John DeSha. when it gets saturated, haul it off, and then Brock took the title and Brock correctly spelled a light rain or drizzle, in “I expect to see (the damage) some time put new sand down. I expect it to take a earned the right to repre- "sarcasm," before wrap- the junior division finals. this summer. But again, it’s really hard to while. We’re just gonna be patient with it.” sent Roosevelt County at ping up the crown with Local media consultant say,” he said adding the damage could Drivers are still advised to drive 15 mph the New Mexico State "refugee." Pam Atherton was the pro- materialize as anything from simple pot- Spelling Bee in Eight students competed nouncer for the event. holes to a complete deterioration of the SPILL on Page 3A Forecast: Today Sunday Monday Index Calendars..........................2A Puzzles..............................4A Reach us at: High: 53 High: 60 High: 59 Classified ..........................6B Markets ............................2A (575) 763-3431 Comics ..............................5B Obituaries..........................3A Low: 26 Low: 24 Low: 32 National news....................4B Sports ............................1-3B PAGE 2A ✦ SATURDAY, JAN. 27, 2018 LOCAL THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS HOME IMPROVEMENTS JAN. 27 On this date ... 1983: Members of Explorers Post 419, a group of young people formed to focus on learning more about dentistry, were spend- ing time in the office of Clovis dentist Jeff Naggs for some hands-on learning. Kim Henry, Stacey Hassell, Carla Cox, Susan limit as well as compliance Thrasher and Jim Baldwin varies drastically from state learned how to take dental to state,” the report contin- impressions by practicing on ued. “Twenty-two states had each other at Naggs’ office. 60 percent or more traffic Other local explorer posts over the limit.” were focused on medicine, New Mexico was one of veterinary medicine, and those, with 63 percent of police work. state drivers regularly exceeding the speed limit, 1978: “The 55-mile-per- hour speed limit has reduced the report said. fatalities by 20 percent since President Jimmy Carter 1974 when it was intro- had sent telegrams to the duced,” according to a states with the highest per- report from the New Mexico centage of offenders asking Department of Vehicles traf- for stricter enforcement. fic safety division, that was printed in the Clovis News- Pages Past is compiled Journal. by Betty Williamson. “Surveys show that Contact her at: enforcement of the 55 mph [email protected] Meetings calendar Tuesday — 8:30 a.m. at city hall, Clovis. ■ Clovis Cultural and Information: 575-769-7828 Ethnic Affairs Committee — 5 p.m. at the Bert Cabiness City The meetings calendar is Government Center, 321 N. a daily listing of area meet- Connelly St., Clovis. ings. To place an item on the calendar, call the news- Information: 575-763-9654 room at 575-356-4481 or e- mail: Wednesday escarbrough ■ Public Works Committee @thenews.email Events calendar Today ■ Tween Program — 4:30 ■ Special Food p.m. at Portales Public Library. Distribution — 9 a.m. to 11 Activity: Xbox One free play. a.m. at Central Christian ■ Stitch Addicts — 6:30 Church, Portales. Individuals p.m. at Clovis-Carver Public must fill out an income eligibility Library. Lesson: Mug hug. form upon arrival. Information: Information: 575-763-9687 575-769-2103 ■ Tiny Tots — 10 a.m. for ■ United Blood Services toddlers to age 3 at Clovis- Blood Drive — 10 a.m. to 2 Carver Public Library. p.m. at Wal-Mart, Portales. Information: 575-763-9687 Information: 575-625-9743 Thursday Monday ■ Preschool storytime — ■ Nutrition Class — 6 p.m. 10 a.m. for ages 3-5 at Clovis- at Clovis-Carver Public Library. Carver Public Library. Hosted by Zandy Bunch, NMSU. Information: 575-763- Information: 575-763-9687 9687 Staff photo: Tony Bullocks Ongoing ■ Priscilla Noll steadies a ladder for Samuel Fallis on Friday afternoon as they try to accomplish some home Tuesday Artist of the month — improvements for a family member on Clovis’ Gidding Street. The weather allowed the pair to get much done with ■ Afterschool STEAM — Art from Scott Blazek will be on clear skies and a high temperature reaching 64 degrees. The weather should be conducive to more outdoor activ- 4:30 p.m. at Portales Public exhibit all month at Clovis- ities today, with highs expected in the low 50s. Library. Activity: Sewing Carver Public Library. snowflakes. Information: 575- Information: 575-762-6359 356-3940 The events calendar is a Reporter’s notebook Wednesday daily listing of area events. ■ Eastern Is two better Patricio Ruiloba proposes Preschool Storytime — To place an item on the cal- adding New Mexico to the 10:30 a.m. at Portales Public endar, call the newsroom at NewMexico than one? 31 states in which motorists Library. Story: “Get Well Soon.” 575-356-4481 or e-mail: ow do you feel must have a front license Information: 575-356-3940 [email protected] News.com about a second plate in addition to one on Hlicense plate? the rear.