JAL — The New Mexico Attorney General’s office concluded Jal’s city officials violated the Open Meetings Act in October 2017. The town’s newspaper, the Jal Record filed a complaint in November 2017 asserting city officials participated in a “rolling quorum.” “Our review indicates that the City Council did indeed engage in a flagrant violation of the Open Meetings Act,” assistant …

A Texas man was killed west of Jal Monday morning in three-vehicle crash on New Mexico Highway 128 that resulted in a head-on collision. The driver of one of vehicles, Luis Carlos Cruz, 56, of Orange, Texas, sustained fatal injuries at the scene, said state police. The driver and passenger of another vehicle both sustained unknown injuries and were transported …

Jal declares itself gun rights sanctuary city CURTIS C. WYNNENEWS-SUN JAL — The City of Jal became a 2nd Amendment Sanctuary City during the city council’s regular meeting Monday. City Councilor Mike Orr introduced the resolution saying, “The 2nd Amendment to the Constitution means a lot to a lot of folks. It was put there for a purpose. I think …

NMOGA: NM oil production soars 46 percent FOR THE NEWS-SUN SANTA FE — New Mexico’s oil boom continues to reach new heights as recently published data shows oil production hitting a record high of 250 million barrels of oil in 2018. The United States Energy Information Administration reported that oil production in the state climbed an impressive 46 percent from …

For the past month the issue of on-street student parking around the high school has been talked about on social media, at office water coolers and in the grocery store check-out line. Well, get ready for some more talking. The City of Hobbs is hosting a town hall meeting on Monday, March 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the Hobbs High …

Thousands of Lea County residents enrolled in Medicaid may soon not be able to access Lea Regional Medical Group and its physicians for non-emergencies. LRMC alerted local Medicaid patients through a mailing it may not be able to use the hospital for non-emergencies after this month due to an impasse in contract negotiations with health insurers. LRMC, the only hospital …

JAL — City Manager Matt White said he’s expecting a noncompliance letter from state regulators regarding Jal’s sewage treatment plant. With an estimated 5,000-6,000 people crowded onto an infrastructure initially supporting just over 2,000 residents, the town of Jal both rejoices and bemoans the current oil and gas boom. Test wells surrounding the city’s sewage treatment plant and lagoons have …

Kelli McCall has several “honey-dos” ready. And her husband now has the time to do them. Chris McCall officially retired from the Hobbs Police Department on Thursday, ending a 20-plus year career, with the past 6 1/2 years as police chief. He was the 24th police chief in HPD’s 90-year history. The third-floor conference room of the City Hall Annex …

A month ago, the 2019 legislative session in Santa Fe began on an ominous note for gun rights advocates when sheriffs were barred from taking their service weapons into the House chamber to listen to the new governor’s State of the State speech. The Legislative Council voted to ban weapons of all kinds from the gallery of the New Mexico …