Andy BrosigNews-Sun Dee Ann Kimbro, who owns two downtown Lovington businesses, has a simple plea for state Democratic lawmakers who want to link the New Mexico minimum wage to inflation to provide potentially automatic increases: “Don’t do that,” she said Thursday. “Please.” Draft bills from state Reps. Miguel Garcia, D–Albuquerque, and Christine Chandler, D–Los Alamos, were published Wednesday that would …

CURTIS C. WYNNE/NEWS-SUN EUNICE — Serving alcohol at the golf course, discouraging abortion clinics in town and ensuring safety at the city’s gun range topped new ordinance discussions at the Eunice City Council meeting Monday. Finalizing the “Eunice Golf Course Alcohol Ordinance,” councilors prohibited golfers from supplying their own coolers or alcohol and established consequences for violators. Eunice City Attorney …

CURTIS C. WYNNE/NEWS-SUN Keeping the No. 1 spot among the nation’s counties, Lea County hit the record books again, logging almost 32 million barrels of crude oil in October.  That’s a little more than a million barrels a day. With a lion’s share of county revenue coming from the oil and gas industry, County Finance Director Chip Low tracks the …

The following are the Top Ten local news stories for 2022 selected by the News-Sun staff: 1) Baby  in dumpster Around 2 p.m. on Jan. 7 a woman pulled up to a dumpster behind a Hobbs retail store and threw her unwanted newborn in a dumpster. According to Hobbs Police Chief August Fons, the newborn was found by three “dumpster …

Andy Brosig/News-Sun Shawn Williams says the time he spends officiating basketball uses some of the same skills he employs in his day job as fire investigator and Hobbs Fire Marshal. Ty Friend, who teaches at the Alternative High School in Hobbs, told the News-Sun much the same between games Wednesday, opening day of the annual Hobbs Holiday Tournament. Officiating “makes …

Virginia Cunningham/News-Sun If you’ve went through the Taco Villa drive-thru recently, you may have been greeted with a song. Danielle Wands, 50, of Hobbs, said one day she was bored with the regular drive-thru greeting so she decided to sing it instead. “I sang it a few times, and was surprised at the response,” said Wands smiling. “People would pull …

Virginia Cunningham / News-Sun LOVINGTON — COVID, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are circulating through Lea County, and the flu is affecting people more than COVID said Nor-Lea Hospital CEO David Shaw. “We are seeing COVID positive tests at the highest levels since last year,” said Shaw. “The good news is it isn’t as severe.” All three viruses will possibly reach …

Virginia Cunningham News-Sun LOVINGTON — Residents of Lovington have noticed the bare light poles in the downtown area where Christmas decorations normally are — but with the changeover in leadership, the Lovington Chamber of Commerce said they originally weren’t able to find them. At the City of Lovington Commission meeting Monday, board members from the Chamber addressed the commission in …

Virginia Cunningham News-Sun LOVINGTON — Innovative, secure and state-of-the-art is the type of school Hillcrest Christian Academy will start building in the first quarter of 2023. Tony Mabe, owner and contractor with Artisans Guild Construction said the building will cost approximately $7 million dollars, and will be located on the corner of Avenue I and 2nd Street in Lovington. “There …

CURTIS C. WYNNE/NEWS-SUN EUNICE — With little fanfare and less open discussion, the Eunice City Council last week joined the abortion fray as City Attorney Tommy Parker provided a draft ordinance to councilors. “It’s a very touchy issue,” Parker told the council. “I know a lot of people are pro-choice, but being in a conservative area, I think this will …