Lovington Police Department (LPD) detectives recently arrested four, male juveniles accused of stealing more than $17,000 in inventory from Lovington Tobacco and Vape. The store is located at 1016 Main Street in Lovington. The burglary took place on July 4, 2021.  The boys, aged 17, 16, 15 and 12, were charged with “larceny over $2,500…

The Opportunity Scholarship Act cruised through the New Mexico state legislature with bipartisan support on Thursday, February 17. The innovative scholarship program, known as SB140 (PDF), could benefit as many as 35,000 New Mexicans by providing tuition-free college. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the bill into law on Friday, March 4. Goals of the Scholarship…

Municipal Elections took place in Hobbs and Lovington on Tuesday, March 1. Called by the New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver, the March 1 elections were for municipalities that did not “opt-in” to what is known as the “Regular Local Election“.  According to the City of Hobbs, election results are currently unofficial and…

Alexis Avila, the 18-year-old Hobbs teen accused of throwing her newborn into a dumpster behind Rig Outfitters and Home Store on January 7, is going to trial for attempted first degree murder and felony child abuse resulting in great bodily harm.  New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas and 5th Judicial District Attorney Dianna Luce, serving…

People living or doing business in Hobbs will need to prepare for some slight adjustments to the typical operating hours of many city services. The City of Hobbs has announced new hours of operation effective Monday, March 7. City offices will be open Monday — Thursday, 8:00 am — 6:00 pm and Friday, 8:00 am…

An incident that occurred around 10:30 pm, on Wednesday, February 23 left one suspect dead, another, a female, on the run and a Hobbs Police Department (HPD) officer in the hospital.  The confrontation evolved when a HPD officer tried to speak to two people seated inside a black Dodge dually pickup. The truck was parked…

Steps are being taken in New Mexico to stop predatory interest rates – “overcharging a borrower for rates and fees”. Predatory interest rates can be devastating to those who become trapped in a seemingly unbreakable cycle of living from loan to payday. Unfortunately, those who can least afford these rates are the ones who are…

During a Thursday, February 17 news conference about the ending of New Mexico’s 30-day 2022 legislative session, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced the lifting of the state’s requirement for people to wear face coverings in most indoor settings.  The governor’s surprise announcement is effective immediately and covers all New Mexicans age two and older regardless…

Gas prices in Lea County continue to rise. The good news is that these prices remain about 10¢ per gallon below the state average – and well below New Mexico’s all time high price average of $4.078 that was recorded on July 17, 2008. The expectation was for prices to increase this winter, but the…

Hobbs police are investigating two deaths that happened on Tuesday, February 15. The two deaths are seemingly unrelated, coincidentally occurring on the same day. One of the two is quite likely a homicide, though investigations for both are ongoing. Officials are asking the public to come forward with any information they might have regarding the…