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Community News

The Hobbs Chamber ofCommerce’s WINNINGWORKSHOP will be“Life is a Bowl ofChoices: Choose toInform, Influence andEntertain throughPublic Speaking,” at 2p.m. Jan. 30 at theHobbs City Hall Annex.The program, focusingon planning deliveryof speech and master-ing anxiety in giving aspeech, will be taughtby organizational con-sultant, coach andtrainer Lynda Lakin ofHobbs.

Eunice Chamber ofCommerce is seekingnominees for theEUNICE VALENTINECOUPLE OF THEYEAR. The winningcouple will be hon-ored at the ValentineDessert and Dance at6:30 p.m. Feb. 15 atthe Eunice CommunityCenter. For more infor-mation, contact EuniceChamber at 394-2755.

Hobbs photographerBRYANT BULLARDwon honorable men-tion in the outdoorscene category in theNew MexicoMagazine’s annualphotography contest.Bullard captured aspensafter a snowfall inCloudcroft. His photocan be seen in theFebruary 2013 edition.

SOUTHWESTSYMPHONY presentsthe Tommy DorseyOrchestra at 7 p.m.Feb. 11 at TydingsAuditorium. For infor-mation and ticketinformation, call 738-1041.

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JAL � EUNICE � HOBBS � LOVINGTON � TATUM � SEMINOLE � DENVER CITY

SATURDAY, JANUARY 26, 2013

TYLER FLETCHER/NEWS-SUNFrom left to right, Jared Sloan, keynote speaker Christopher Kennedy Lawford, Stewart Sroufe, Sara Sroufe,and Sue Wallach pose for a photo during PDAP’s 30th anniversary banquet Thursday night at the LeaCounty Event Center.

ALMA OLIVAS-POSADASNEWS-SUN

The Palmer Drug Abuse Programof Lea County celebrated 30 years ofservice Thursday.

Approximately 300 people attendeda banquet at the Lea County EventCenter in which PDAP staff andboard members were recognized fortheir service with the non-profitorganization whose purpose is tohelp individuals live a life free ofsubstance abuse.

The keynote speaker of the nightwas Christopher Kennedy Lawfordwho battled drug and substanceabuse for may years and has beensober for about 26 years.

Lawford is an actor, writer, lawyer,activist and public speaker whotravels throughout the world shar-ing his experience of battling andrecovering from alcohol and drugaddiction.

He told the crowd there is notenough knowledge about recoveryand shared his story about growingup in a family where drinking alco-hol and doing drugs was normal.

“I was born in a family where alco-hol doesn’t run, it gallops,” he said.

After using drugs at a young age,Lawford said he went through manyyears of his life convincing doctorsto prescribe him legal narcotics tofeed his addiction. He said his fami-ly didn’t understand his problemand was just concerned with mak-

ing everything seem OK.“I was dying on the inside, but as

long as the résumé was lookinggood, we were good,” Lawford said.

He said his moment of grace cameon Feb. 17, 1986 in Boston, after heput a gun in his mouth.

He remembers it was the coldestnight in Boston, but it was the night

he started his recovery journey.“This will be hard, some say it will

be too hard,” he said. “But as myuncle President Kennedy said aboutour commitment to go to the moon‘we don’t do these things becausethey are easy, we do them becausethey are hard’.”

Lawford said his decision tochange has helped break the addic-tion chain in his family.

“I have three children who onlyknow me as a father in recovery, Ihave broken the chain of addictionin my family and learned how to be acommitted and present father,” saidLawford. “I’ve made movies, I am abest selling author, speak all over theworld. After a lifetime of trying to bewhat I though everybody wanted meto be ... I have found myself.”

Naomi Browning of Hobbs whohas been involved with PDAP formore than 20 years said the lovingatmosphere she has received hasallowed her to recover from alcoholand drug abuse. Browning has beensober since 1988.

Thursday evening at the banquet,she said she is grateful for PDAPbecause it has allowed her to bepresent on the lives of her 15-year-old son and 18-year-old daughter.

Alma Olivas-Posadas can be reached atcourts@hobbsnews.com or call her at 391-5446.

NEWS-SUN STAFF REPORTThe Tuff Hedeman Championship

Bull Riding tour will make its fourthtrip to Hobbs since 2010 when it takesover the Lea County Event Center at7:30 p.m. tonight.

Prior to the bullriding, children canparticipate in stick bull riding forarea youth prior to event.Registration is from 4-5 p.m.

“It’s a great area and we get tremen-dous support,” Hedeman said aboutsome of his reasoning behind a fourthtrip to Hobbs with CBR. “It’s a greatvenue.”

The approximately two hour event

will feature 24 riders during the firstround. During the second round, thetop 12 riders will have a go and thefinal short round will feature the topfour riders.

Doors open at 6 p.m. and the bull rid-ing starts at 7:30 p.m.

The CBR here will be the third of the

2013 CBR circuit as the riders stoppedin Bossier City, La., on Jan. 12 and hada two-night performance in Jackson,Tenn., last weekend.

Cody Teel, the 2012 PRCA bull ridingworld champion, has a commandinglead in the early-season CBR stand-ings after sweeping the CBR’s firsttwo stops.

“He’s the guy,” Hedeman said ofTeel’s ability and continuing to rackup wins. “He’s the reigning worldchampion.”

Teel rode all three of his bulls dur-ing a CBR performance in Tennessee,capping off the win with an 87.5-point

ride on California Roll in the finalround. He won the Louisiana tourstop with a 90-point ride on Evil Twinin the final round.

The 20-year-old Kountze, Texas,native leads the standings with 531.5points while Ardie Maier is secondwith 355.5.

Teel is also the defending championof the Hobbs CBR event as he won the2012 tour stop after posting an 89-point ride on Cinch Red Label in thechampionship round.

He tied eventual 2012 CBR champion

Bull riding tour back in Hobbs

BETH HAHNNEWS-SUN

New Mexico Junior College isinvesting $400,000 in a classroom andlivestock area for its equine scienceprogram.

The equine science program isscheduled to begin during the 2013 fallsemester.

NMJC Board members approvedusing $400,000 of building fund moneyfor the construction, which will com-plete a classroom, bathroom, officeand livestock pen space on campus.

“The idea is that the instructor doesa lecture in the classroom setting and

then the students go out to the labarea, if you will, to implement whatthey talked about,” NMJC presidentSteve McCleery said duringThursday’s board meeting.

The livestock pens are designed forhorses and horse-handling. McCleerysaid.

Board members previewed theequine science program, which willprovide students with two possiblepathways — horse training or equinebusiness — as well as some certificateoptions.

NMJC professor Clay Hardin spentmuch of 2011-12 studying similar

equine science programs in Coloradoand Texas before designing curricu-lum.

Hardin said during a previous meet-ing that students could potentiallyfind jobs as trainers, in equine insur-ance, product sales or marketing.

McCleery said he hopes the programwill add about 70 students to NMJC’senrollment.

The equine science curriculummust be approved by the state beforeNMJC can begin recruiting andenrolling students in the program.

Hardin said the equine science pro-

gram will not compete with theschool's existing rodeo program,although the two will share space atthe Dan Berry Arena.

McCleery said an equine scienceprogram is unique for the area andgives NMJC an opportunity to recruitstudents who might otherwise choosea college in Colorado or Texas.

Construction of the new classroomspace should be completed before thefall semester begins.

Beth Hahn can be reached at 391-5436 orreporter3@hobbsnews.com.

NMJC investing in new equine science program

LEVI HILLNEWS-SUN

The City of Hobbs has selectedneighborhoods in southeast Hobbsto apply for federal grant money toadd curb, gutters and sidewalks.

Tuesday night the Hobbs CityCommission approved the cityapplication to the state’sCommunity Development BlockGrant program to seek $500,000 forthe project.

City engineer Todd Randall saidthe project won’t be awarded untilAugust if the city receives thegrant. The city’s last award was in2011 when it received $250,000. Thecity didn’t apply for funds in 2012,which will give this submissionmore points.

Sheila Baker, senior staff engi-neer, said the area of southeastHobbs chosen for upgrades waspicked after a series of communityinput meetings and it will fill inareas not completed in past CDBGprojects.

The streets chosen were ChildersStreet, East Marland Street,Humble Street from 4th to 8thStreet, 4th Street from Humble toMain Street and 5th Street fromHumble to Main Street.

“These were brought to us by thecommunity,” Baker said. “They domeet the low to moderate income of51 percent.”

In order for the streets to meet therequirements for the CDBG grantfunds, more than 51 percent of theresidents in the project area mustbe of low to moderate income.

Baker said the city had chosenanother area of Hobbs — WestHumble and Roxana — butswitched to the current proposedproject after community input.

“This area had a higher percent-age of low to moderate income,”she said.

She said the city will submit anapplication for $500,000 and aphased proposal for $250,000 for asmaller portion as required by thestate of New Mexico’s review com-mittee.

The city will add a match of asmuch as $200,000 in funding and in-kind services for the project if thecity is selected for the funds. Onlyabout $8 million in CDBG funds areavailable to the entire state eachyear. The area selected will be fit-ted with curb, gutter and sidewalksand pavement rehabilitation,Baker said.

Grantsought forsoutheastHobbs

PDAP marks 30th anniversary

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Keynote Speaker ChristopherKennedy Lawford meets Bettyduring PDAP’s 30th anniversarybanquet Thursday night at theLea County Event Center.

SEE BULL RIDING, Page 6

Speaker tells audience about his moment of grace