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CLOVIS, NM 88101
YEAR IN REVIEW: SPECIAL OPS TO RESCUE
By Marlena Hartz: CNJ staff writer
marlena_hartz@link.freedom.com
Created on: December 29, 2006 - 11:34PM - 27898
In early 2006, the fate of Cannon Air Force Base remained unwritten. Banners supporting the installation lingered in yards and storefronts. Residents of eastern New Mexico had just one thing to do — wait.
“In the beginning of the year, we were anticipating we would be selected for a new mission. That anticipation was pervasive for the first several months of the year,” Clovis Mayor David Lansford recalled.
Cannon had been recommended for closure by the Department of Defense in the 2005 Base Closure and Realignment round. But a federal commission spared the base from immediate closure and requested the Department of Defense find a new Cannon mission or shutter it by 2010.
“Without Cannon, I was wondering how we (Clovis) would continue to grow,” Clovis resident Mary Hall said.
Six months into 2006, eastern New Mexico was rescued from limbo.
Federal officials announced on June 20 Cannon would be home to the Air Force 16th Special Operations Wing. Cannon’s new tenants assume ownership of the base in October.
Preliminary Air Force figures indicate by 2010 the installation will have outgrown its current size by at least 1,000 personnel.
With the announcement of the new mission, cheer spread around the region.
“For some reason, I knew the base wouldn’t close,” said Blanca Rios, the owner of a Clovis floral shop who observed local business revive following the announcement.
“It’s tremendous. Most people were really happy... The base is probably going to bigger and better than ever,” Roosevelt County Commissioner Gene Creighton said.
Looking back on the road that led to the new mission, Randy Harris, a man who emerged as one of Cannon’s most loyal advocates, was awash in hometown pride.
To save Cannon, “The community pulled together like they never have before,” said Harris, a Clovis banker.
“It was very gratifying to see so many people work so hard,” he said.
“It’s kind of like when there is a disaster — a tornado or a hurricane. Our community showed the same kind of spirit that communities in disaster show. That’s why I live here. Because of the spirit of the people.
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PORTALES, NM 88130
Release Date: August 9, 2006
PORTALES RANKED 15TH IN QUALITY-OF-LIFE
Top places to live in America
If you’re looking for a small town with a great quality of life, Portales, New Mexico is the place to be. According to a study conducted by Bizjournals.com, of 577 micropolitan areas, Portales ranked 15th in the nation and ninth in the western United States in overall quality of life. The goal of the study was to identify America’s most attractive micropolitan areas and points were given to small, well-rounded communities where the economy is strong, traffic is light, the cost of living is moderate, adults are well-educated, and access to big-city attractions is reasonably close. The ranking indicates that Portales, New Mexico is a great place to live and work.
The study identified 12 categories including population growth, per capita income, small business growth, professional jobs, commuting, cost of living, and advanced degrees. Cities were given points for positive results and negative scores if they were below the national averages. These scores were then totaled to determine its overall rank on the list of micropolitan areas.
Portales, the smallest city in the top 25, received a quality of life score of 8.96, the 15th highest score in the nation. According Scott Thomas, the author of the study, the income per capita, short commuting times, exceptionally low taxes, and substantial percentage of adults with a graduate degree are huge factors in why Portales is one of the top places to live in America. The only obstacle to overcome to be in the top 10 listing is our access to a large metropolitan area. Los Alamos was the only other New Mexico city to be recognized in the top 20.
Portales Mayor Orlando Ortega, Jr. says “It is exciting and very deserving to have Portales ranked 15th in quality of life among the micropolitan category. The community as a whole is very focused and has been working diligently for some years now to provide the best quality of life possible, offer opportunity and the American dream to all who choose to live in Portales."
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