Lea County Sheriff Office deputies arrested four men for credit card fraud after they allegedly charged approximately $42,408.78 worth of unauthorized transactions to a fuel card for an oilfield business. Fernando Esparza-Gonzales, 35, of Loving-ton; Ruben Rios-Alvidrez, 45, of Hobbs; Saul Hernandez, 40, of Eunice; and Juan Lozano-Plascencia, 38, of Lovington, were all arrested on July 13 and charged with …

Barbara Dunford has a passion for art, one she’s shared with Hobbs residents for more than 40 years through regular art classes offered by the city. Growing up in Chicago the oldest of eight children, Dunford didn’t have a lot of time for art, she said. But she always had a love of the arts, taking whatever opportunities she could …

They are the unsung heroes of every football game. The players who do the work, but never get the glory. They don’t score the touchdowns or get the interceptions, but without them, they game would be unrecognizable. They are the men up front who make it possible for the skill players to do their things. They are the linemen. Tuesday …

Pickup schedule in Hobbs runs Aug. 14 – Nov. 6 The City of Hobbs announces the kickoff of the 2021 Large Item Pickup, formerly known as the Citywide Cleanup. The Large Item Pickup is an opportunity for residents of Hobbs to have their unwanted large household items picked up and carried away by the City of Hobbs at no charge! …

The City of Hobbs is about to tear up a busy part of Hobbs. It’s necessary. It’s needed and it’s going to be messy for a while. During its July 6 meeting, the Hobbs City Commission unamimously approved a contract with Smith Engineering, of Albuquerque for the phase design of the Trunk F Sewer replacement in the amount of $155,375, …

With more than 200 fireworks complaints on July 4, the Hobbs Fire Department reported in preliminary data that only three citations were written last weekend. Violators of the city fireworks ordinance were given alternatives to a citation. The Independence Day weekend was the city’s first experience following city commission approval in February of a new fireworks ordinance. City officials acknowledge …

With more than 200 fireworks complaints on July 4, the Hobbs Fire Department reported in preliminary data that only three citations were written last weekend. Violators of the city fireworks ordinance were given alternatives to a citation. The Independence Day weekend was the city’s first experience following city commission approval in February of a new fireworks ordinance. City officials acknowledge …

Lea County’s 4-H Muzzleloader team is New Mexico’s team. The Lea team won its 4-H state title competition in April and competed last month, representing all of New Mexico, at the National level. The four members of the team come from three of Lea County’s seven 4-H Clubs. Danni George and Sadie Savage, both of Hobbs, are members of the …

Stephen Helreich took a roundabout route to pastoring his first church, but he has found Hobbs to be “friendly and welcoming.” At the age of 72, Stephen Helmreich is beginning the career he prepared for when he went to seminary almost 50 years ago. He’s the newly ordained and newly installed pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church in Hobbs. “After I …

It may only be summer football practice, but the sight and sounds of the Hobbs football team taking on the Lovington football team in a 7-on-7 Tuesday night at Watson Memorial Stadium was something both head coaches, Ken Stevens and Anthony Gonzales, had missed. “It was good to be out here and get a little bit of normalcy going,” Stevens …