The deadly flu of 1918 Stories from the Buckboard New Mexico, Texas and all of the lower 48 states are now suffering a flu epidemic. It is a dominant news story for 2018 which bears the unfortunate distinction of being the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of what became known as Spanish Influenza. In the early months of 1918 the …

Dora school district closes because of illness among staff DORA, N.M. (AP) — A small eastern New Mexico school district is closed due to illness among its staff. Interim Superintendent Brandon Hays of Dora Consolidated Schools says schools are closed until Monday because illness among regular staff members and substitutes means the district can’t adequate cover its classrooms. Hays says …

Hobbs firefighters train near Hobbs on how to deal with grass fires.

McMurray wins best in show at Lea photo exhibit Although the doors didn’t open officially until 6 p.m. on Friday, people began to gather at the Lea County Center for the Arts shortly after 5 p.m. to look at the 175 photographs hanging on the gallery walls. The photos were part of the Lea County Photography Show that is on …

Three Lea County students qualify for state spelling bee Sawyer Bishop hesitated before he spelled the word “tomatillo.” “I was a little put off by that word,” Bishop said after winning the Lea County spelling bee Wednesday night. “I wasn’t sure what it was until I heard the definition.” He managed to spell that word correctly, as well as the …

City alerts Hobbs residents to impersonation scam  FOR THE NEWS-SUN The City of Hobbs recently received a report that individuals driving a red pickup truck approached local residents and identified themselves as City of Hobbs employees in order to receive permission to enter homes. The report stated these individuals explained they were at the residence to inspect a water leak, …

Hobbsans thankful to be alive following house fire Casey Gonzalez was at Nor-Lea Hospital Saturday evening as her husband Leroy was getting his painful knee examined. She answered her ringing phone to the sounds of a crazed individual — her son Diego Hernandez. “Mom! My friend just called! Our house is on fire!” In a calm voice Casey quickly asked …

What if Lea County were it’s own state? If that were the case, then Lea would be the seventh largest oil-producing state in the nation. Steve Vierck, president and CEO of the Economic Development Corporation of Lea County, did the ranking from data released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), an independent statistics and analysis agency within the U.S. Department of …

A grass fire burns along the Lovington Highway on Friday, Jan. 12, afternoon.

Is it a cold or a flu? The common cold is the number one reason for lost work and school time throughout the industrialized world. According to Lea Regional Medical Center officials, the average adult will get two or three colds each year, while children can go through 5-10 cycles. The typical cold starts with sore throat and runny nose, …