THURSDAY,DEC. 21, 2017 Inside: 75¢ Our monthly Real Estate guide. — Page 1-6B Vol. 89 ◆ No. 227 SERVING CLOVIS, PORTALES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES EasternNewMexicoNews.com Officials to consider water plan ❏ Aquifer map, Fast facts water reuse among ■ Clovis City Commission recommendations. ■ 5:15 tonight ■ Clovis-Carver Public Library BY THE STAFF OF THE NEWS CLOVIS — The Clovis City Commission will be Mexico Operations asked to approve a master Supervisor Mark Huerta, water assurance plan dur- former City Managers Tom ing tonight’s regular meet- Phelps and Larry Fry, ing at the Clovis-Carver Gene Hendrick of the Public Library. Clovis Industrial The meeting includes the Development Corporation water plan, created by the and citizen representative ad hoc water policy strate- Blake Prather. gic planning team. The water plan’s four The planning team was core recommendations are created to help secure sus- to seek funding for tainable water for the city statewide data collection over the next 40 years. and aquifer mapping, sup- Members of the team port policies to promote include EPCOR New water reuse, provide Mexico Vice President and resources for watershed General Manager Daniel management and playa Bailet, Eastern Plains lake conservation and cre- Council of Governments ation of an initiative that Executive Director Sandy would pay agricultural Chancey, City producers to reduce irriga- Commissioner Ladona tion in favor of municipal Clayton, Curry County water use. Commissioner Robert Thornton, EPCOR New CLOVIS on Page 3A Trump celebrates after Congress wraps tax package By Stephen Ohlemacher tion a boon to the rich that and Marcy Gordon leaves middle-class and working Americans behind. THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Trump said the effort had WASHINGTON — “been an amazing experi- President Donald Trump ence” and claimed it resulted cheered a massive overhaul in “the largest tax cut in the of U.S. tax laws Wednesday, history of our country.” Staff photo: Tony Bullocks saying “we broke every Actually, Trump’s cuts are Highland Elementary School’s custodians Anthony Armijo and Maria Alvarado lower the flags Wednesday record.” nowhere near the largest in afternoon to close out the school day. Flanked by Republican U.S. history lawmakers, the president The vote was 224-201 and took a bow outside the White came hours after the Senate’s House shortly after the early morning passage along Highland demolition approved House finished its last- party-lines. minute re-vote to pass the Republicans cheered when ❏ $1.5 trillion bill that provides the vote tally hit the magic School to be rebuilt generous tax cuts for corpo- number for passage, and in time for 2019-2020. rations and the wealthiest again when the final vote Americans while providing was announced. One BY THE STAFF OF THE NEWS smaller cuts for middle- and Democrat yelled, “Do over!” low-income families. CLOVIS — When school’s out for Democrats call the legisla- TAXES on Page 4A summer, the plan is to tear it down. At least that’s the plan Clovis school board members have for Highland Elementary, which would be rebuilt in time for the 2019-2020 school year. Board members on Tuesday night unanimously approved Highland’s demolition, contingent on state approval. The process would begin this sum- mer, with the new school opening at the same location, 100 E. Plains St., in Staff photo: Tony Bullocks the fall of 2019, Superintendent Jody Highland Elementary School is scheduled to be torn down this summer Balch said. before a new building takes its place in 2019. Highland has 270 students, who will be relocated to Parkview Abaca Press: Olivier Douliery Elementary for the 2018-19 school the state will pay 80 percent and ■ Board members voted to dispose year until the new building is com- Clovis Municipal Schools will pay 20 of district inventory, including a bro- President Donald Trump celebrates the tax bill's pas- pleted, Balch said. percent, or $2.8 million. ken iPad and other damaged or obso- sage with members of the House and Senate on Balch said demolition and construc- Highland first opened in 1952. Wednesday during an event on the South Portico of the tion will cost $14 million, of which Also at Tuesday’s meeting: SCHOOLS on Page 3A White House in Washington, D.C. Forecast: Today Friday Saturday Index Calendars..........................2A Puzzles..............................6A Reach us at: High: 64 High: 42 High: 58 Classified ........................10B Markets ............................2A (575) 763-3431 Comics ............................10A Obituaries..........................2A Low: 21 Low: 25 Low: 23 Voices................................4A Sports ............................7-9A PAGE 2A ! THURSDAY, DEC. 21, 2017 LOCAL THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS Events calendar TRIMMING THE TREE Ongoing The events calendar is a daily I Artist of the month — Art listing of area events. To place an from Sarah Bice will be on exhibit item on the calendar, call the all month at Clovis-Carver Public newsroom at 575-356-4481 or e- Library. Information: 575-762- mail: 6359 [email protected] Meetings calendar Today Carver Public Library. Information: I Eastern New Mexico Water 575-769-7828 Utility Authority — 1 p.m. at the Curry County Commission cham- The meetings calendar is a daily bers at county administration office. listing of area meetings. To place an Information: 575-935-4264 item on the calendar, call the news- I Clovis City Commission — room at 575-356-4481 or e-mail: 5:15 p.m. in North Annex at Clovis- [email protected] Holiday services The following churches have I First Presbyterian Church, scheduled special Christmas 1101 Pile St., Clovis — 6 p.m. services: Christmas eve candlelight service I St. James Episcopal Church, 1117 N. Main St., Clovis — 8 a.m., Sunday 10:30 a.m., 10:30 p.m. I Central Baptist Church, 2501 N. Norris St., Clovis — 4 p.m., 5:30 Service information may be p.m. Christmas story in Scripture emailed to: and song [email protected] Staff photo: Tony Bullocks EMPTY STOCKING FUND Baxter-Curren Activity Center custodian Zach Castillo adds the finishing touches to the center’s holiday tree. The center will close at 3 p.m. Friday and also be closed Monday and Tuesday for the holiday. Today’s family in need: This that she wants to give her two mother of two wants to provide children, age 8 and 10, a merry her children a merry Christmas in Christmas. the face of devastating illness. About the Salvation Army Lt. Kelly Empty Berggren knew the woman suf- Stocking Fund: fered from polio, but discovered The fund is a Portales votes to sign on loan commitment she had also been diagnosed joint venture of with breast cancer when she the Salvation Army By Eamon Scarbrough going to each member community, and “I know it’s not what you want to requested a gas voucher to travel and The Eastern STAFF WRITER how the calendar fell with all the days, hear, but I feel like, given the unusual to Lubbock. New Mexico News. [email protected] you guys (Portales) are the last, because nature of the circumstance and the “This news was devastating to The fund helps I was not quite ready on (Dec. 5) to amount of time we’ve had to review, all concerned,” he said, adding low-income fam- PORTALES — The Portales City present this,” she said, adding that all and then this clause has just been sub- ilies with toys, Council voted on Tuesday to sign a doc- other member communities had signed. mitted today — I don’t feel comfortable food and cloth- ument reiterating its commitment to City Attorney Randy Knudson signing something like, ‘I hope parale- ing. paying two loans by the Eastern New expressed concern that language in the gal accepts it.’ I don’t think that’s the How to help: The Eastern Mexico Water Utility Authority, but it document indicated “an effort to make professional or the right way for us to do New Mexico News is accepting had some questions first. the members individually responsible it,” said Smith, the only member of the Empty Stocking Fund donations The loans were in the amount of $1.5 for the whole obligation. There’s lan- council to vote against signing the doc- at its newspaper offices in Clovis million and $1.6 million for the Ute guage that says that’s not the case, but ument. (521 Pile St. or P.O. Box 1689, pipeline project, which would bring this language is concerning.” Also at Tuesday’s meeting: Clovis 88101) and Portales (101 water from Ute Lake to Portales, Clovis, Chapman said she had heard similar I Girl Scout Troop 10682 presented a E. First St. or P.O. Box 848, Melrose, Elida, and other eastern New concerns from City Manager Sammy letter to the council expressing concern Portales 88130). Envelopes should be clearly Mexico communities. Standefer, and presented an addendum over the amount of light pollution in marked “Empty Stocking Fund.” The signing of the loan agreement to the document stating Portales is “not Portales, and the threats it poses to ani- was the second time the city has com- assuming any debt or financial obliga- mals, plant life, and humans in the area. Checks must be payable to The I Salvation Army. Contributions will mitted to paying its portion of loans on tion above or beyond its 20.87 percent Councilors approved the transfer of be forwarded to The Salvation the project, according to ENMWUA obligation for payment.” a dispenser-like license to the Dawg Army. Interim Executive Director Maggie While Knudson said the addendum Houze bar. Chapman, but the authority’s new law was “the best we can come up with” to I A notice of intent to renew a fran- — Information is supplied by firm is asking that each member com- ensure the city only pays its portion of chise agreement with Yucca Salvation Army Corps Officer Lt.