SUNDAY,MARCH 5, 2017 Inside: $1.50 No damages, injuries reported in blaze. — Page 1B Vol. 88 ◆ No. 291 SERVING CLOVIS, PORTALES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES EasternNewMexicoNews.com School officials discuss SB 381 ❏ The bill allows for use of SUVs instead of buses in rural districts. By Eamon Schools Superintendent Scarbrough Ted Trice said he was in support of any legislation STAFF WRITER that could save his district
[email protected] the cost of fuel for buses, Rural school districts in but noted that SUVs are the area have carefully not as weighed the pros and cons distinc- of a bill currently traveling tive as through the New Mexico buses 17 legislature that would are, and allow for the replacement thus of buses with much small- could er vehicles in certain situa- prove to tions. be a safety concern. Senate Bill 381, current- “My only thought about ly awaiting a third reading that is that people see a on the senate floor, states yellow school bus, they that school districts may notice and pay attention to utilize district-owned sport it. If you’re in a suburban Staff photos: utility vehicles in place of that’s not painted yellow, Kevin Wilson school buses to transport people aren’t going to pay Above: Steve one to six students “whose attention to that, so that may be a safety issue as Rios of Denver residence, within the points his dog, boundaries of the school far as people not paying Quinta, to a district, is five or more attention to a vehicle full miles from the student’s or of kids,” said Trice.