No oil bust in sight for booming Permian Basin At least for the foreseeable future, the series of oilfield boom/bust cycles is over, according to an industry expert speaking in Hobbs to the New Mexico Association of Counties board of directors last week. Ryan Flynn, executive director of the New Mexico Oil and Gas Association, said oil and gas industry …

Carlsbad sinkhole will take two years to fix Work to fill in a massive sinkhole on the southern edge of Carlsbad is set to begin next year and will take at least two years to complete, local roadway officials learned this week. Traffic at the junction of U.S. 285 and Highway 62/180 where the sinkhole exists will have to be …

New Mexico, Texas oil boom sparks electricity demand surge ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — Electricity demand on Xcel Energy’s grid is reaching all-time records thanks to the oil and gas boom in southeastern New Mexico and West Texas. Xcel Energy New Mexico and Texas president David Hudson says oil and gas production in the Permian Basin is driving accelerated load growth …

Nor-Lea Hospital District is eyeing a September opening to the public for its anticipated Lovington Wellness Center. The wellness center is two stories and features an array of amenities, such as a competitive swimming pool, warm therapy pool, basketball court, pickleball, indoor field hockey, volleyball, rock-climbing wall, conference rooms, weight rooms, fitness equipment, fitness classes and an indoor walking/jogging track. …

Poor attendance irks educators Poor summer school attendance has some Hobbs school leaders rethinking the school district’s policy allowing parents to override the grade retention of elementary students. School district superintendent TJ Parks told the school board Tuesday that summer school attendance has been very disappointing this year, with about 44 percent of high school students assigned to summer school …

Rig count peaks at record With Lea County leading in oil production, New Mexico’s rig count hit its historic peak this week at 103, the most ever, and close to double the 57 at the same time last year. Lea County’s count this week is 51 active rigs, up more than two-thirds from last year’s 30 active rigs and putting …

What is behind belief in weeping Virgin Mary statues Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross (The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts.) Mathew Schmalz, College of the Holy Cross In a Catholic parish in Hobbs, New Mexico, a statue of the Virgin Mary has been “weeping.” Onlookers have gathered out of …

Matt White picked as Jal city manager JAL — On a unanimous vote of 5-0 at the Jal City Council meeting Thursday night, former Eunice mayor Matt White was chosen the next Jal city manager. Having lost his bid in March for a fourth term as mayor, White applied for the vacant seat in Jal left by the resignation late …

Dirty Jobs’ host headed to Hobbs to speak The man who became known as “the dirtiest man on TV” will be coming to Hobbs this fall to talk about the value of vocational education while offering other insights. Mike Rowe, who for eight seasons hosted “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel, is coming to Hobbs in September as part of …

Virgin Mary weeping scented olive oil It’s been almost eight weeks since the statue of the Virgin Mary at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church first cried. Almost eight weeks of photos, videos, social media posts, news stories and visitors traveling from throughout the world to see the statue. Since she first cried on May 20, the Virgin Mary has cried …