Is the criminal justice system the best way to deal with drug offenders? The N.M. Public Defender’s Office testified before an Interim Justice Committee hearing in Santa Fe last week that Lea County had the highest per capita of people charged with possession of controlled substance cases in the state — and more than double the rate of Bernalillo County. …

LOVINGTON — The 85th Annual Lea County Fair and PRCA Rodeo’s Sale of Champions last month brought in the highest revenue since 2003, said Fairground General Manager Jim Kemp. Kemp reported results of the nine-day event at Thursday’s Lea County Commission meeting. The fair and rodeo culminated with the Sale of Champions on Aug. 7. On sale day, bidders spent …

New Mexico’s revenue estimators just announced the good times are here again! With almost $1.4 billion in “new” money for the upcoming fiscal year, progressive politicians Roundhouse are already drafting their shopping lists of things they want to buy for our state. In fact, the New Mexico House Speaker was so excited about this “new” money, he tweeted out that …

LOVINGTON — They didn’t ask for it and don’t know what to do with it yet, but Lea County Commissioners last week approved a resolution accepting $6.9 million from the federal treasury. “I would ask that the board approve this resolution so we can make use of that $6.9 million even though we didn’t ask for it,” Lea County Manager …

Census reporting means redistricting for local, state, national elected offices With the Census numbers being reported, who you vote for could change with the next election. A large population increase as reported on the 2020 Census means political boundaries can, and most likely will, change said District 42 Sen. Gay Kernan, R-Hobbs. “My district, Senate District 42, I grew by …

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs order as part of 30×30 environmental agenda   What started at the federal and global level has made its way to the state level — at least in New Mexico. On Wednesday New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed executive order 2021-052 officially making New Mexico the first state to implement the environmental agenda 30 …

LOVINGTON — In a bid for local control of pandemic restrictions, Lea County Commissioners unanimously supported the authority of elected school boards Thursday. Recent New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) mandates threaten punitive actions for local officials’ failure to comply with state rules, such as those involving masking, vaccinating, social distancing and closures due to COVID-19 cases. Commissioner Gary Eidson, …

LOVINGTON — In a bid for local control of pandemic restrictions, Lea County Commissioners unanimously supported the authority of elected school boards Thursday. Recent New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) mandates threaten punitive actions for local officials’ failure to comply with state rules, such as those involving masking, vaccinating, social distancing and closures due to COVID-19 cases. Commissioner Gary Eidson, …

Valerie Scott was entering her third year teaching American Sign Language at Hobbs High School earlier this month when she got some good news. The first-year faculty sponsor of the HHS Student Council was told homecoming was a go for this year. And she was in charge. “I got handed it I guess the first two days of school,” Scott …

The population in Hobbs has narrowly crossed a line. That line is a magic population line of 50,000 people, and preliminary data released by the U.S. Census Bureau shows growth in Hobbs of about 19.5 percent over the last decade. The Hobbs Census County Division (CCD) reportedly comes in at 51,736 for the 2020 Census, compared to 43,305 in 2010, …