Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
The weekend brought news that several hundred Cannon Air Force Base personnel and seven MC-130J aircraft are transferring to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. That’s supposed to happen “in the upcoming fiscal years,” according to a news release from New Mexico’s congressional delegation.
But Mayor Mike Morris said the announcement is no reason to worry about Cannon’s future.
“(A)ny news that the Air Force is moving a squadron from CAFB is definitely troubling,” Morris said. “However, I understand that force structure and personnel numbers do tend to move up and down.”
Any reason to fear that Cannon has fallen out of favor?
“No. No reason to think that,” Morris said.
“We know that we need to finish executing on the water plans. But CAFB and the Air Force sees what we’re doing there. We do need to improve health care access – progress is being made – and with housing – again, progress is being made there, too.
“(W)e are doing the work locally to continually improve quality of life and support of the airmen and their families.”
Sweden says hello
Earlier this year, Clovis’ Debbie Rowley shared the story of Sweden, a female Canadian goose.
Jo Stallings lived on the golf course in north Clovis and routinely fed corn to the waterfowl who hung around the ponds behind her house.
One day in 2020, Stallings noticed a particular goose was hobbling. She soon discovered it had been entangled in fishing line. So she called for help from neighbors Mike and Debbie Rowley and Tish McDaniel; Mike is a physician, Debbie and McDaniel are biologists.
They captured the goose Stallings had named Sweden and – long story, short – took it to Hillcrest Park Zoo where workers were able to free the fishing line.
One day later, Sweden flew away from the zoo – in 60 mph winds – and ended up back on Stallings’ patio, waiting to be fed as usual.
Fast forward three years and Sweden was still visiting Stallings’ patio for corn. Over time, she became almost unrecognizable from the rest of the flock, but her rescuers could tell her apart – Sweden had a limp.
We lost Jo Stallings on July 15. She was 91.
As for Sweden, she showed up Sunday to visit the Rowleys next door.
“The limp will always be there, but what a great sight,” Debbie Rowley said.
Reader likes Frost letter
“The letter to editor from Warren Frost in Logan was very informative and factual, making a lot of sense,” writes Clovis’ J.D. Cole, referencing the letter headlined “Smarter, cheaper solutions to water problems” published July 23.
“I have thought for a long time building a multi-million dollar pipeline for a very few years of water supply was a very bad idea. The day is coming when we will distil ocean water and pipe it all across the U.S. to cities that have depleted their underground supply of water.”
David Stevens is publisher of Clovis Media Inc. Email him at: