Virginia Cunningham/News-Sun LOVINGTON — Lovington could be the next community to make it difficult for abortion providers to operate after copies of ordinances passed in Hobbs, Lea County and Clovis designating them sanctuary cities for the unborn were given to Commissioners on Monday to review as the city works toward drafting its own ordinance. Lovington City manager Vidal Martinez handed …

Andy Brosig/News-Sun Crystal Taylor won’t have to travel to get her Popeyes fix soon. As the new general manager, Taylor will be able to simply step out of her office. Located in the former Carl’s Jr. location on Joe Harvey Boulevard in Hobbs, Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen is targeting Monday for the grand opening of its seventh restaurant in New Mexico. …

Curtis Wynne/News-Sun LOVINGTON — The Lea County Commission will hear arguments on both sides of a proposed ordinance governing abortion services in Lea County at a public meeting scheduled for Dec. 8. While the county is restricted in how much it can do legally, according to County Attorney John Caldwell, the proposed ordinance would require compliance with federal abortion laws. …

Andy Brosig/News-Sun Bob Hamilton said his job as reference librarian at the Hobbs Public Library has several things going for it. Topping the list is giving him the opportunity to slake what he described as an “insatiable thirst for knowledge. “Sometimes people will ask me questions,” Hamilton told the News-Sun. “I’ll find their books and see what they’re interested in. …

Virginia Cunningham/News-Sun Austin Tarin’s life was changed when he saw a sponsored ad on social media and didn’t hit the skip button. The Hobbs man is one of the 2022 winners of the Cheetos Deja tu Huella (Leave Your Mark) Fund. “The ad posed the question of how what you are doing leaves a mark on the Hispanic community,” Tarin …

CURTIS C. WYNNE/NEWS-SUN Getting past the political races on next month’s General Election ballot, voters find six important questions to answer. Ballots include three proposed amendments to the New Mexico Constitution and three general obligation bond issues, regardless of the voter’s Lea County address because they are issues for the whole state. Contacted for comment by the News-Sun, State Sen. …

For the News-Sun Hobbs, NM – On Saturday, Oct. 15, 2022, the JF Maddox Foundation announced that Mykaylah Thomas has been awarded the 2022 Jack Maddox Distinguished Scholarship. Mykaylah is a senior at Hobbs High School this fall.  She is the daughter of Shawn and Mykia Thomas.  Mykaylah is interested in pursuing a biochemistry degree at Howard University. An independent …

NEWS-SUN STAFF Services have resumed at the new Covenant Health Hobbs Hospital following a week-long stoppage due to “environmental issues.” An Oct. 7 press release disclosed hospital officials had “received reports of rodents in and around the facility.” Ainsley Nelson, Covenant Health spokesperson in Lubbock, Texas, wrote the decision was made to “reduce services beginning immediately, until we can provide …

From one end of the county to the other, Lea County communities support each other. While county commissioners helped buy the Town of Tatum a new fire truck, the City of Jal donated two police vehicles to the town — all within 24 hours. At opposite ends of the 100-mile-long county, Jal in the south and Tatum in the north …

Gabrielle Arsiaga/News-Sun Hobbs is preparing to install a “baby box” where infants can be safely surrendered — and is only the second city in New Mexico to install one. The baby box is in response an incident almost nine months ago when Hobbs resident, Alexis Avila, was caught on a surveillance camera throwing her new-born infant — who was tied …