FRIDAY,MARCH 23, 2018 Inside: 75¢ Trump order paves way for tariffs. — Page 6B Vol. 89 ◆ No. 306 SERVING CLOVIS, PORTALES AND THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES EasternNewMexicoNews.com AFTERNOON PRACTICE Offers coming in for man in hole ❏ Homeless man nowhere to be seen on Thursday. By David Grieder STAFF WRITER [email protected] CLOVIS — The good intentions are surely out there, but the man of the hour was scarce to be seen Thursday after reports of a homeless person living in a hole in the ground went pub- lic this week. Ali Ghaffari Jr, whose father owns the proper- ty off West Seventh Street where Sean Heron dug an underground dwelling that was discov- ered this month, said he means “nothing but good” for the man. “I want him to know that we’re here to help,” Ghaffari Jr. said Thursday evening. “We see that he’s in need. We want to help him.” Ghaffari Jr. said he and his father, a local physician, would like to offer to Heron, 43, the old auto shop building directly adjacent to his underground abode as a temporary residence until he can get back on his feet. “At least there, there’s running water, electric- ity,” he said, noting that with this arrangement Heron could stay close with the animals that have been his neighbors for more than year. It could be a sort of transitional period of a few months during which Ghaffari Jr. said he would not make demands of Heron in return. “He doesn’t have to do anything, just have HERON on Page 5A Floyd schools activity bus Staff photo: Tony Bullocks Kaileanah Brown, 5, of Clovis fields a grounder at Guy Leeder Softball Complex on Thursday afternoon, while getting some practice time with her parents Quintasha Jackson and Earl Jackson. This is Kaileanah’s second year of playing tee ball. catches fire ❏ Superintendent says fire is believed to have been Region’s contestants gear up for bee caused by an electrical short. ❏ Five area students San Jon and Brock Fowler, 13, of Floyd 2016 and 2017 and will be joined by six BY THE STAFF OF THE NEWS qualified to represent the region at their other returning competitors, according FLOYD — The Floyd Municipal Schools is head to Albuquerque district spelling bees. to New Mexico Spelling Bee down an activity bus after it went up in flames to test spelling skills. They are among the 46 students from Coordinator Karen Kehe. Thursday afternoon. across the state who are eligible to com- Jaxon, Jorge, Timothy, Saisravya and Superintendent Damon Terry said the fire was pete this year for the top spelling prize Brock earned their spots in the state bee BY THE STAFF OF THE NEWS discovered at 12:52 p.m., and is believed to in the Land of Enchantment. by correctly spelling panegyric, mizzle, have been caused by an electrical short. Dust off your dictionaries. It’s time The winner crowned on Saturday in imperative, excruciating and refugee, The bus was not occupied when it caught fire. for the New Mexico Spelling Bee. Albuquerque will earn a spot in the respectively. The $180,000 bus was totaled, Terry said, Several local students are eligible to Scripps National Spelling Bee in Last year’s New Mexico winner was adding that the district is searching for other compete at this year’s state bee, taking Washington, D.C., scheduled May 27 to Akilan Sankaran of Albuquerque, who options for transportation. place on Saturday in Albuquerque. June 1. is not competing this year. The school’s bus barn also received damage, Jaxon Bender, 10, and Jorge Barraza, The national bee offers opportunities Area residents have fared well at the according to Terry. 14, of Clovis, Timothy Roybal, 10, of to win multiple prizes. “We are working on back-up plans for every- Fort Sumner, Saisravya Bandla, 14, of Saisravya competed at the state bee in BEE on Page 3A thing,” he said. Forecast: Today Saturday Sunday Index Calendars..........................2A Puzzles..............................4B Reach us at: High: 84 High: 79 High: 79 Classified ..........................8B Markets ............................2A (575) 763-3431 Comics ..............................7B Obituaries..........................5A Low: 46 Low: 51 Low: 45 Voices................................4A Sports ............................1-3B PAGE 2A ✦ FRIDAY, MARCH 23, 2018 LOCAL THE EASTERN NEW MEXICO NEWS Preview day set for Saturday Events calendar Today Wednesday ■ Original Team Roping — 9 ■ Collective Goods Book and By Eamon Scarbrough to visit some of our major rooms. We go coming to Eastern New Mexico a.m. at the Curry County Events Gift Sale — 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at STAFF WRITER through the science building and they (University),” Elwell said. Center. Information: 806-499-3584 Plains Regional Medical Center. [email protected] get to see our science room and our Many people think about college ■ 68th Annual Floyd Lions Fundraiser event for the PRMC labs, then we’re gonna take them over long before they start applying, accord- Club Country Jamboree — 7 p.m. Auxiliary Scholarship Fund. PORTALES — Area high school stu- to our liberal arts building where they ing to Elwell, and where a student goes at the Floyd High School Gym, Information: 575-769-2141 dents with college interests have plenty get to see general classrooms of what often depends on their initial experi- 1564 New Mexico 267, Floyd. ■ Tiny Tots — 10 a.m. at of options. they’ll get to experience,” he said. ence. Information: Clovis-Carver Public Library. Eastern New Mexico University Events for parents include financial “I think, for the students, they get a Facebook.com/ Information: 575-769-7840 hopes its Junior Preview Day on aid presentations and meetings with floyd-lions-club-jamboree ■ Preschool Storytime — sense of what the campus is like, the Saturday will help answer any ques- ENMU Student Affairs members and 10:30 a.m. at Portales Public tions. ENMU President’s Ambassadors. people who are here, what the students Saturday Library. Story: “Bunny Hop.” The event begins at 8:30 a.m. and Both Spitz and ENMU President Jeff are like, and a lot of people — students ■ 68th Annual Floyd Lions Information: 575-356-3940 ends at 3 p.m., offering building tours, Elwell said many students who visit the and parents — end up liking Eastern Club Country Jamboree — 7 p.m. because of who and what we are,” he at the Floyd High School Gym, Thursday information on classes and degree pro- campus as high school juniors return as ■ grams and information for parents, college freshmen. said. 1564 New Mexico 267, Floyd. Collective Goods Book and according to Cody Spitz, director of “I would say a significant portion of Students can register for the event at: Information: Gift Sale — 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. at https://enmu.edu/admission/events/ Facebook.com/ Plains Regional Medical Center. enrollment at ENMU. students who come to campus, and floyd-lions-club-jamboree Fundraiser event for the PRMC “They get an academic fair, they get especially for the preview days, end up junior-preview-day/registration ■ “March for Our Lives” event Auxiliary Scholarship Fund. — 10 a.m. to noon, between Hilltop Information: 575-769-2141 Plaza and Seventh Street. ■ United Blood Services Blood Drive — 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 Public record Monday p.m. at Clovis High School. ■ ■ Stitch Addicts — 1:30 p.m. to Information: 575-762-3718 The following marriage Clovis The following marriage Kathryn Hernandez ■ ■ 3 p.m. at Clovis-Carver Public Preschool Storytime — 10 licenses were compiled Alecxis Jauregui, 32, licenses were compiled from Ruben Hernandez Jr. Library. Lesson: Oval baskets. a.m. at Clovis-Carver Public from court records to Davina Marie Deleon, from court records ■ Olvin Joel Guifarro- Information: 575-763-9687 Library. Information: 575-769-7840 through Wednesday at 33, both of Clovis through Thursday at the Turcios from Claudia L. March 31 the Curry County clerk’s ■ Joseph Richard Wills, Roosevelt County Clerk’s Mercadal Tuesday ■ Clovis Community Easter office: 28, to Phylissa Kaye Office: ■ Lawanda Laura Mae ■ National Vietnam War Egg Hunt — 9 a.m. at Guy Leeder ■ Bill Elliott Hayes, 54, Gregory, 25, both of Clovis ■ Ronald Johnson, 59, Rose from James Ricky Veterans Day Ceremony — 11 Softball Complex, 1801 E. 14th St., to Thuy Hong Luong, 44, ■ Derek Cory Lee, 29, to of Portales, to Julieta a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Clovis Clovis. Information: 575-763-9654 Rose Jr. Veterans Affairs Clinic, 921 E. Llano ■ Portales Easter Egg Hunt — both of Plainview, Texas Katina Marie Dacres, 33, DeMesa, 65, of Clovis ■ Stephanie Marie ■ Estacado Blvd.. Information: 575- 2 p.m. at Portales Softball Zackary William both of Clovis Marez from Juan M. Reza 763-4335 Complex, 201 N. Industrial Dr., Wallace, 19, of Burleson, ■ Garrett Chance Bruce, The following divorces Torres ■ United Blood Services Portales. Information: 575-359- Texas, to Taylor Marie 27, to Elizabeth Ann were compiled from court ■ Kyle Kettner from Blood Drive — 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 4870 Wentz, 19, of Clovis Roddy, 33, both of Melrose records through Tiffanie Renee Kettner ENMRSH, Inc., 2700 E. Seventh ■ Manuel A. Romero, ■ Luis J. Sigala Jr., 26, Wednesday at the district St., Clovis. Information: 575-762- Ongoing 3718 ■ Artist of the month — Art 68, to Estella Jean to Marisol Rayas Juares, court clerk’s office in — Compiled by the Staff ■ Afterschool at the Library — from Jon Birdsong will be on exhib- Gallegos, 38, both of 26, both of Clovis Clovis: of The News 4:30 p.m. at Portales Public Library. it all month at Clovis-Carver Public Activity: Three Little Pigs construc- Library. Information: 575-762-6359 tion.