The following are the Top 10 local stories in the News-Sun in 2019 as determined by the newspaper’s staff. 1) Three killed, four others shot at summer backyard party Three young adults were shot and killed at a backyard party in Hobbs in late-August, and no one has yet been charged with their murders. Khalil Carter, 18, and Kristal Avena, …

Count on a politically exciting year. Election year 2020 has begun, with voters to choose several small city councilors to the president of the United States. Residents wishing to declare a candidacy for the municipal election must file a declaration of candidacy on Tuesday between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the respective city clerk’s office. Five positions open for election in …

Count on a politically exciting year. Election year 2020 has begun, with voters to choose several small city councilors to the president of the United States. Residents wishing to declare a candidacy for the municipal election must file a declaration of candidacy on Tuesday between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. at the respective city clerk’s office. Five positions open for election in …

At a little more than 24 hours old, Adalynn Toruga provided a concert proclaiming her displeasure with having her diaper changed as her mom, Elizabeth Bustillos, and dad, Adan Toruga, of Hobbs, prepared to take her home. Young Adalynn is the first baby of both the new year and the new decade at Lea Regional Medical Center. She is the …

By fall of 2019, Lynn Stevens had almost given up hoping for the life-giving kidney transplant she needed. She was on the transplant list at Baylor Hospital in both Dallas and Fort Worth, but the prospects seemed bleak for the the clerk-treasurer for the City of Tatum. Each night, Stevens hooked herself up to a machine that pumped fluid designed …

Don’t get caught without a designated driver this holiday season. For a free designated driver both before and after consuming alcohol, call 575-391-2982. The Lea County DWI Program’s Tipsy Taxi service began its ninth year the weekend after Thanksgiving and will continue through New Year’s Eve. The program aims to reduce DWI crashes and arrests by offering free transportation to …

You get to help choose the top News-Sun stories of 2019. The local Top 10 will be presented in the Jan. 1, 2020, edition of the News-Sun Click HERE to take the survey and vote for up to 10 stories For a refresher on the stories, please click the links below: Multiple Hobbs businesses were swindled out of money they …

A charred Christmas tree, scorched Christmas stockings, a homeless family and five deceased dogs are the aftermath a housefire in south Hobbs. Shelley Moody worked the night shift at a local convenience store and had laid down to get some rest Monday morning when her 69-year-old-mother woke her up alerting her their home at 307 West Castle was on fire. …

In spite of the current oil and gas boom, most of the incorporated communities in Lea County are still just closing in on pre-bust gross receipts tax revenue. Two exceptions, one at each end of both the county and the economy, are Tatum in the north and Jal in the south. Tatum received about 31% less in calendar 2019 than …

Observing 80 years of service to the community, Hobbs Public Library officials celebrated on Tuesday. “We’re all proud of our library,” said Library Director Sandy Farrell on Monday. Libraries have changed over the years, from card catalogues that Farrell says she remembers fondly to modern computer-based catalogues. Books galore are supplemented with DVDs and audio material, a computer lab and a …