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Community News

Spring 2014 Internshipapplications for THELEA COUNTYCOMMISSION FORTHE ARTS are avail-able for any under-graduate and gradu-ate students interestedin interning at theCenter for the Arts. Anapplication andrequired materialsmust be submitted byJan. 31. For more infor-mation, call 397-2787.

The Western HeritageMuseum and LeaCounty Cowboy Hall ofFame is hosting a HOL-IDAY MOVIE at 2 p.m.Sunday. The movie is“White Christmas.”The event is free. Formore information call575-493-2678 or visitwww.westernheritage-museumcomplex.com.

Lea County officials willswear in INTERIMASSESSOR SharlaKennedy at 11 a.m.Monday at theCourthouse.

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REBECCALONG

226 W. VegaHobbs, NM

88240

575-393-2661rlong1@farmersagent.com

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HOBBS SCHOOLS PHOTOS

Happy Holidays at Taylor ElementaryKindergartners from Taylor Elementary in Hobbs put on a Christmas program for their parents recently.

GABRIELA MUÑOZNEWS-SUN

Students at College Lane,Coronado and Stone Elementarywill be greeted with a new entranceafter their two-week holiday vaca-tion.

Entrances at the schools are beingrenovated for security purposes.

Instead of doors that lead directlyinto the hallways, entrances willlead to a lobby area that leads to theschool office.

The renovations, which in totalwill cost about $2 million, beganFriday at Coronado Elementary assoon as students and staff left thecampus for the holiday break.

The project is part of the $25 mil-lion general obligation bond elec-tion passed in September, whichincludes the construction of a newelementary school and a newBroadmoor Elementary.

“Stone and College Lane are rela-tively simple to do,” said HobbsSchools Director of OperationsGene Strickland. “It is literally aninstallation of another storefront atthe corner of the hallway wheretheir office is. They are going to bemirrors of each other.”

Secondary doorways at bothschools will be removed.

“That (the second doorway) iscoming out,” Strickland said. “It’sin the way and it stays open 100 per-cent of the time. It’s more of a bot-tleneck, so that’s going to come outcompletely.”

Two storefronts will be installedat Sanger Elementary due to the“nature” of the building and theoffice location, Strickland said.

“Sanger is on the list because wefeel comfortable that we can getpart of it done during Christmasbreak,” he added.

Securityworkbegins

CHRISTIAN BETANCOURTNEWS-SUN

Investigation continues in the bodyfound at Prairie Heaven cemeteryThursday.

“The body was sent to Albuquerquefor autopsy,” Hobbs PoliceDepartment Public InformationOfficer Mike Stone said. “The investi-gation is still continuing.”

The body of 42-year-old Eddie Whiteof Hobbs was found at Prairie HavenCemetery Thursday Morning. HPD isinvestigating the case as a homicide.

According to a press release fromthe Hobbs Police Department, officersresponded to Prairie Haven MemorialPark Cemetery in reference to anunresponsive subject.

White was pronounced dead at the

scene.The cemetery was closed to the pub-

lic for much of the day but reopenedto the public Thursday afternoon,said Parks and RecreationSuperintendent Wade Whitehead.

“At about four o’clock we were ableto resume services,” Whitehead said.

A burial service that was scheduledfor Thursday was postponed until

Friday morning, said Chapel of Hopeco-manager Danielle Hammock.

Anyone with information concern-ing this death is asked to call HobbsPolice Criminal InvestigationDivision at 397-9265 or CrimeStoppers at 393-8005.

Christian Betancourt can be reached atcourts@hobbsnews.com or 391-5446.

Investigation of cemetery murder continuing

Dan Shackelford, Robert Lujan and Manuel Gonzalesaccept toy donations from Heizer educators JoeClarkson and Glenda Bearden.

GABRIELA MUÑOZNEWS-SUN

This week staff members at Heizer MiddleSchool arrived at school with stuffed animals,toy trucks and dolls in tow.

For the holiday season, the teachers and otherstaff at the middle school decided to include atoy donation with their annual, staff SecretSanta gift. The donations will benefit Toys ForTots, a drive hosted by the Marine CorpsLeague Det. 1185.

“Those who participated in Secret Santa alsobrought toys for the kids,” said Language Artsteacher Joe Clarkson.

Clarkson said participating staff were encour-aged to donate a toy that best represented their“secret Santa.”

Clarkson donated Play-Doh and a remote-con-trolled car, which she felt represented theteacher who was her secret Santa.

“I got Play-Doh because she strikes me as kindof artsy,” Clarkson said, “and I thought the carwould appeal to her sense of adventure.”

Marine Corps League Commandant DanShackelford was on hand to accept the dona-tions Friday morning.

Heizer teachers donate toys for kids

� HOBBS SCHOOLS

� 350 Hobbs childrenexpected to benefit from Toysfor Tots drive this year

SEE SECURITY, Page 6

SEE TOYS, Page 6