LOVINGTON — The Lea County Commission on Thursday approved concert contracts recommended by the Lea County Fair Board for six nights of excitement between Aug. 2 and 10 at the 2019 county fair and rodeo. On the bill is the headliner band Los Huracanes del Norte with Grupo Laberinto and Revancha Nortena set to start the fair with Hispanic Heritage …

Lea County has seen its fair share of artists throughout the years. Following Friday’s Lea County High School Art Show at the Center for the Arts in Hobbs, the future looks to be in good shape. More than 100 people attended the opening reception event where works of art were represented from students arts at Eunice High School, Hobbs High …

When Marirene Pankratz first read the play “Character Lines,” she loved the realism between the two main characters. “The conversations that they have are conversations anyone would have with an ex, or someone who you are in a relationship with that was a genuine, compelling story,” Pankratz said, “and it made me fall in love with that.” Pankratz read the …

‘Mockingbird’ chosen as America’s best-loved novel in vote By LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer LOS ANGELES (AP) — “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a coming-of-age story about racism and injustice, overpowered wizards and time travelers to be voted America’s best-loved novel by readers nationwide. The 1960 book by Harper Lee emerged as No. 1 in PBS’ “The Great American Read” survey, …

Too much screen time? New phone controls for you and kids By ANICK JESDANUN, AP Technology Writer NEW YORK (AP) — Apple and Google want to help you spend less time on their phones — really. Like that time you checked Facebook at 3 a.m. Stats don’t lie. Their new tools for managing screen time will let you see how …

Museum set to open O’Connor exhibition Justice Sandra Day O’Connor was a cowgirl all her life, even after she became the first female Supreme Court Justice. A new exhibition, “The Cowgirl Who Became a Justice: Sandra Day O’Connor,” is set to open Thursday at the Western Heritage Museum and Lea County Cowboy Hall of Fame. The exhibit showcases the youthful …

If you get bumped off a flight, make it worthwhile By DAVID KOENIG, AP Airlines Writer DALLAS (AP) — Allison Preiss became a hero to airline passengers this spring when she scored a $10,000 travel voucher for losing her seat on an oversold flight. Negotiating skill mixed with a bit of luck helped Preiss land the elusive payoff. With the peak …

Eagle 9 theater in Hobbs installing new recliner seating Eagle 9 theater is getting an upgrade in preparation for the upcoming summer movie season. This week, a construction crew started the replacement of seating in the nine theater rooms. Crews spent the past couple of days breaking down and removing seats in four theaters and will replace them with a …

Early praise for ‘The Last Jedi’ after elaborate premiere LOS ANGELES (AP) — There were cheers, gasps, droid photo opportunities, casino games and more than a few standing ovations at the jam-packed world premiere of “Star Wars: The Last Jedi” Saturday night in Los Angeles, which many are already praising online. “The Last Jedi,” which arrives in theaters on Dec. …

The historic Lea Theatre is now aiming for a December re-opening to show off its new seating after donations from a Texas theater chain. It was originally planned for mid-November. In late October, the theater temporarily closed in order to remove old seats and install wider seats with modernized features that many moviegoers may find more comfortable. The project kicked …