New Mexico legalized the recreational use of cannabis by adults 21 and older earlier this year on June 29.  The possession outside of one’s private home of two ounces of marijuana, 16 grams of marijuana extract and 800 milligrams of edible marijuana is now legal. Additionally, a person may grow up to six marijuana plants…

New Mexico has offered to pay $50 million to 44 cities and countries statewide to settle a 2018 lawsuit. The City of Hobbs is one of the 44 parties to the lawsuit, and the state has offered to pay the city just under $2.7 million as the municipality’s share of the settlement offer.  The lawsuit…

The Heart of Lea County Fest is coming to downtown Lovington. This one-day music festival will feature country singer Aaron Watson and many fun activities for the whole family. The goal is to raise money for Weekend Hunger Initiative (WHI) Hobbs, a non-profit delivering food to Hobbs students over the weekends in food insecure households….

Religious affiliation is changing in New Mexico as attitudes shift and politics enters the picture. In Lea County, membership in Protestant and Catholic churches alike has been declining for decades. What the data doesn’t show, however, are the personal reasons behind the changes. Looking at the data shows how Lea County fits into the trends,…

White Sands National Park, located in the Tularosa Basin of New Mexico, is home to the largest collection of human footprints. One of the more recent findings has placed the arrival of humans settling in North America thousands of years before what was previously thought. According to a news release from White Sands National Park…

I can’t remember the first time I met Bert Madera. It seems like I have known him since Mary and I moved to Lea County in 1974, but probably it was several years later that I first talked with him. It feels like I have been going down to his Pitchfork Ranch in the southern…

The Southwest Symphony of Hobbs, “bringing classical music to Lea County since 1983”, has announced its roster of performances for the 2021-22 season. After cancelling live events during the COVID-19 crises to protect the health and safety of everyone, concerts and diversified entertainment shows are being reinstated, starting in October. COVID-19 regulations will be strictly…

The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) began requiring the reporting of overdoses from Ivermectin, an anti-parasitic drug commonly used in pets and livestock. While Ivermectin does exist as medicine for humans, online misinformation is touting it as a treatment for COVID-19. Ivermectin is not approved for the treatment of COVID-19 and health experts are…

Lea County has a special treat for area residents and guests on Wednesday evening, September 22.  Award winning country singer/songwriter and recording artist Martina McBride is giving a FREE concert at the Lea County Fairgrounds. The event is hosted by Our Lea County and starts at 8:00 pm.  The Lea County Fairgrounds is located in…

Local health organizations have begun distributing COVID-19 booster shots. However, they are currently being limited to the immunocompromised. COVID-19 vaccinations have demonstrated a high degree of effectiveness in protecting people, but the level of immunity may wane over time. Early data points to higher infection rates in people who were vaccinated in January compared to…