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, …

53 candidates file in Hobbs, Lovington, Eunice, Jal, Tatum Below is a listing of candidates scheduled for the March 6 municipal election in Hobbs, Lovington, Eunice, Jal and Tatum.   Hobbs Commissioner District 2 (northeastern Hobbs) — Cynthia Calderon (incumbent), Christopher R. Mills, John Paul Henderson. Commissioner District 4 ( southern/southwestern Hobbs) — Joseph Calderon (incumbent), Kerry T. Manis. Commissioner …

Trump appointee who quit after probe is running for Congress ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A former Trump administration appointee who resigned after a harsh report into a tribal loan program he oversaw announced Monday that he is running for Congress in New Mexico. Gavin Clarkson filed documents with the Federal Election Commission to seek the Republican nomination for a seat …

2 die in separate crashes Texas man killed near Jal New Mexico State Police is investigating a fatal one-vehicle rollover that occurred Sunday night outside of Jal on a county road. The driver, a central Texas resident, was ejected from the vehicle and later died from his injuries while being transported to Texas for medical treatment. The crash occurred at …

A total of 23 elected municipal seats are up for grabs in Lea County this year, with candidate filing set for Tuesday. The list includes positions for three mayors, 15 municipal commissioners or council members and five municipal judges. During office hours on Tuesday, anyone wishing to run for election or re-election to any of those seats must file a …