A reader called on Friday and asked that a reporter investigate why “Clovis has the highest gas prices in the state.”

Here are the results of my investigation:

Clovis’ gas prices ($3.759 per gallon on average) are higher than in Amarillo ($3.61 to $3.69) and in Lubbock ($3.49 to $3.69).

But Clovis’ gas prices are not even close to the highest in New Mexico.

Clines Corners was at $3.99 on Sunday, according to www.gasbuddy.com.

Most Artesia stations were at $3.96.

Silver City went as high as $3.90.

And a station in Las Cruces was at $3.89.

Things could be worse.

About a year ago, we reported on a movie starring Kevin Costner called “Swing Vote.”

Here’s an update:

The movie is still a go and is scheduled for release this summer, according to The Internet Movie Database.

While Texico is the supposed home town of Bud Johnson, “an apathetic, beer slinging, lovable loser” played by Costner, the movie was actually filmed in Albuquerque, Belen and Corrales.

Here’s a synopsis, provided by IMD:

“Johnson … is coasting through a life that has passed him by, except for the one bright spot in his mundane existence, his precocious, over-achieving 12-year old daughter, Molly.

“She takes care of them both, until one mischievous moment on Election Day, when she accidentally sets off a chain of events which culminates in the presidential election coming down to one vote — her dad’s.

“Suddenly, Bud Johnson, the nobody, becomes the voice for everybody when the world realizes that his vote will be the one that elects the next president. Politicians invade the small town of Texico, New Mexico, and its unwitting inhabitants, waging war for Bud’s vote.”

Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer and George Lopez also have roles in the movie.

The tentative release date is Aug. 1.

Clovis-born Amanda Rantuccio got the boot on “The Bachelor” TV show that aired on Monday night.

She was not happy about the cut, saying she did not believe the bachelor’s words and calling him a dirty word (bleeped by ABC).

Online commentator McTee00 had this to say about Bachelor Matt and Amanda’s tongue:

“He played her like a violin. … When she said that I was proud of her! I’m so sick of the fake girls.”

The Clovis connection is a prankster, and still a contender on “The Bachelor” TV show.

Amanda Sue Rantuccio, who was born on Nov. 29, 1980, at the Cannon Air Force Base hospital, is one of three finalists on the dating game.

During Monday’s episode, the bachelor visited his dates’ parents. Amanda R – as she’s known on the show – hired “fake parents” to liven things up.

The bachelor said he liked it when he found out he’d been duped, but not all the Web commentators were amused.

“Sorry, but Amanda is a dork,” said “katydid1816.”

“It is clear she is not taking this seriously at all,” said “Shirleyjo7.”

Not taking this seriously? You can’t be serious.

Did you know Charlie and Raymond Babbitt stopped in Tucumcari as they made their way to Los Angeles from Cincinnati?

We know this because Tom Cruise’s character in “Rain Man” made a telephone call and said he was in Tucumcari.

The town didn’t look like Tucumcari, but that’s Hollywood.

Do you know any other references to Tucumcari in the entertainment media?

If so, let me know. I’m starting a collection.

After countless minutes of painstaking research and dozens of cents worth of long-distance telephone calls, we have more information about Amanda Sue Rantuccio, who is still a contender on “The Bachelor” TV show.

She was born on Nov. 29, 1980, at the Cannon Air Force Base hospital, according to her father, Paul Rantuccio, a 20-year Air Force veteran. He was stationed at Cannon from 1979 to 1981, where he worked on radios in the F-111 fighter jets.

Amanda’s mother, Susan, was working for Clovis Certified Public Accountants John Hager and Ribble Holloman around the time when Amanda was born. Neither Hager nor Holloman remembers anything about Susan Rantuccio or her baby.

The family lived in the 200 block of Circle Drive in Clovis, but not at 200 Circle Drive as the 1979 City Directory claims. The Cochran family lived at that address then and now and they did not have any roommates named Rantuccio. Paul Rantuccio said he thinks they lived at 212 Circle Drive.

I called Paul Rantuccio at his home in Monticello, Fla., on Wednesday, but he said he was unable to talk about much of anything until the reality TV show series ends.

Amanda — known only as Amanda R on “The Bachelor” — is one of six finalists still trying to win the dating game.

So, yes, she was born in Clovis — New Mexico, not California as some have theorized — but no, she didn’t stay long.

Paul Rantuccio says he’ll fill us in on more details once the show is over.

Somebody named Rick posted a blog on the Quay County Sun Web site a few days, ago announcing he was thinking about moving to the northeastern New Mexico community.

“Can someone out there tell me all the good, the bad and the ugly about living in Tucumcari?” he asked.

A woman who said her name was Cathy Ice offered some “bad and ugly.”

“I lived there from around 1995 to 2002,” she wrote in an e-mail. “It’s a small town. Everyone knows everyone else’s business; very closed to newcomers.

“There are a lot of drugs in the schools. My kids went to House schools because of it. The community leaders do everything they can to prevent growth.”

Somebody who identified themselves as “DarkenedEmberPDA” offered some “good:”

“It’s a nice place to live, (a) much slower way of life. It takes some time to get used to. I used to live in Houston (and) San Antonio before moving up here.”

I’ve never lived in Tucumcari, unless you count the month we were without a managing editor three years ago, but I think I’m qualified to answer Rick’s question:

Tucumcari is a great place to live. Most of the time.

I’ve lived in a big town (Amarillo) and several small towns (Clovis, Farwell, Muleshoe, Canyon, Texas) and I have to say … I’ve liked them all. Most of the time.

It’s nice to have hundreds of choices of things to do, but it’s also nice to hop in your car and reach your destination in three minutes.

It’s nice to buy groceries without stopping to chat with half the people you meet, but it’s also nice to stop and chat with half the people you meet when buying groceries.

Maybe I’m just one of those “grow where you’re planted,” kind of guys.

Maybe I’m weird.

I’ve lived in Farwell the past six years and I knew I was going to like it the day we moved in. Our new neighbor’s 9-year-old granddaughter arrived at the U-Haul to introduce herself and offer commentary on the town.

“It’s kinda boring,” she said, “but it’s a great place to ride bikes.”

My kind of town.

Clair Zarges arrived in Clovis about a year ago, and she is concerned about recent criticism aimed at the community on the Internet.

And so she posed a question to all: “Are these angry people just a vocal minority? Are there any real Clovis fans out there?”

Jan Mason responded loud and proud. Here’s what she had to say:

“I am a die-hard fan of Clovis, New Mexico. I was born and raised in this area and love the climate, love the way you can still drive down the road, wave or nod to your neighbor or to anyone on the road and they usually wave or nod back. If they don’t, they ain’t from here.

“I do miss the days that you could leave your doors unlocked and lawn ornaments out and not get broken into or vandalized.

“I love the pride we still have in our military base. I love that you can still drive down Main Street and hear the rumble as your tires roll over the brick road. I love that you can drive by Smyth Auto Store and receive a smiling wave and sometimes a blown kiss. I love that gentlemen still open doors for ladies most anywhere you go in town. I love that we still stand on the curbs to watch all the parades and the entrants can still throw candy to the kids.

“Do I love everything that is happening to our town? No, Happiness is what you make it! Will I continue to help a friend, a neighbor, even a stranger … you bet!

“If people are ashamed of their neighborhood or any other neighborhood, then go help clean it up. Remember sometimes when we think a person’s house is in shambles, it may be that that person is working two or three jobs to provide food and shelter and there is no money left to fix the place up. How about donating your time or money and help them out?

“Human nature is to take pride in ourselves and homes. Sometimes a helping hand is all a person needs to boost their self esteem and pride in their surroundings. Instead of griping about others, find a constructive way to help.

“I grew up in Clovis, and no, we didn’t have any underage night clubs or theme parks or community centers specifically built for us kids. No, we rode our bikes, we played tag, we played football, we played in the dirt with toy cars, we played Barbies, we played with sticks for boats in the rain water flowing down the curb, or read a book.

“Yes we read books. We didn’t have someone or something to entertain us, we entertained ourselves.

“I do not like the fact that we have flea-markets on most corners, I do think it makes our town look trashy. The YouTube depicted some real eyesores in our town, but just because you have a wart on your finger, does that mean you chop off your finger? Silly, huh!

“So let’s clean up some of these sore spots. Let’s make our city government accountable for their property. We the people is still we the people, so let’s all take pride back in our town.

“If you see someone throw a fast food bag out the window, stop, pick it up and throw it in the trash. If the person that threw it out is available, give it back to them and explain that you love Clovis and you know they accidentally dropped their bag and wanted to make sure they got it back so they could dispose of it properly, because you know they didn’t mean to litter. Think that would be a jaw dropper? Probably. But it just might work.

“Remember, home is where the heart is. My heart is in Clovis and I still love this town, flaws and all!”

Clair Zarges is a relative newcomer to Clovis, and she is concerned about recent criticism aimed at the community.

She saw a YouTube video critical of Clovis and responded by posting one of her own that shows “a very different and more positive view.”

But her own video received negative comments from people who “seem almost angry at Clovis,” she wrote in an e-mail.

And so she’s posed a question: “Are these angry people just a vocal minority? Are there any real Clovis fans out there?”

Kay Arvizu says yes.

“You can certainly count me as a Clovis fan,” she wrote in an e-mail.

“That does not mean that I am blind to improvements that are needed, or that I always agree with our leadership.

“I came here in 1958 as a 14-year-old, having lived in Texas, Kansas, Mississippi, Japan and England in those short 14 years. My father, C K Castleberry, was stationed at Cannon (Air Force Base), and subsequently retired here. He knew, I think, that his children needed roots.

“I was timid at first, used to always being the ‘new kid,’ but soon made friends. Now this is home, and I love it!

“Never in all the places we lived did I hear my parents complain or condemn the town we were currently in. Now that I am older, I realize that they made a conscious decision to make the most of life wherever they might be. It couldn’t have been easy for a young family to be away from old friends and back-home family, but they taught us to look for the good in people and places. How grateful I am for that lesson!

“Maybe some of the negative input is from folks who are simply homesick, and no place can compare to the home you love. But wherever we are, we can make a difference. We can be part of the solution, and not part of the problem. I choose to make the most of this life, whatever, whenever, wherever.”

I asked readers to recommend the best place to get a hamburger around here.

Here’s what they had to say:

Steve Gershon: “I would have to say Eddie’s Subs & More on Main Street. You know it’s a beef hamburger and the buns are freshly made daily, not commercially. Great place to eat and meet.”

Gerald Majewski: “The best place I have found to have a hamburger is at Cook’s truck stop on the highway. And of course breakfast and dinners are reasonably priced and of great taste, plus the waitresses there are very friendly and cordial.”

Raymond Atchley: “My house. Reservations required. Jus’ lemme know when.”

Doug McGregor: “No doubt about it, Kelley’s is the place and green Chile is the spice.”

Janet Mason: “Sonic has an awesome melt-in-your-mouth burger, for a fast food burger. If you want a real homemade burger, Foxy Drive-In is great! If you want to pay for one burger and feed two people, go to Burgers, Fries and Cherry Pies. But the best fries in town are at Burger King.”

Frank Dalton: “Aside from those my wife makes? Well, Burgers, Fries and Cherry Pies isn’t bad; also hard to beat Town and Country.”

Anna Baucom: “I don’t know about the best — but I like Dairy Queen’s hamburgers.”

Bill Zarges: “The gold standard for hamburgers is arguably The Buckhorn Café in San Antonio, N.M., and it’s across-the-road neighbor, The Owl Café. A green chile cheeseburger at either establishment is a treat for the palate. In my quest to find similar fare here in Clovis, I’ve tried several places. Pat’s II (now gone) was passable, Kelley’s has a good burger, but I think my favorite is Bill’s Jumbo Burger’s green chile cheeseburger.”

Bob Baker: “I guess it depends on what you define as “eastern” New Mexico. If it’s east of I-25, then the answer has to be the Owl Cafe on U.S. 380 just east of I-25 in San Antonio, N.M. They’ve got the best green chile cheeseburger I’ve eaten. They use fresh local green chiles and have hand-made patties. They’re to die for. My wife and I never pass that way without stopping.”

C.F. Hemphill: “Bill’s Jumbo Burger.”

Jeff Greene: “If you are willing to travel, Hooters makes great burgers. If not, try Chili’s.”