Our Story

Our Clovis Roundup was born by accidental necessity. With the old Clovis Independent changing ownership and eventually dying, a need arose for a dedicated Clovis news source.

Along came Veteran Marine Kenny Melchor and his wife Donna, both with backgrounds in print advertising and a lifelong love of our city. They took a chance that people in Clovis and the surrounding mountain communities would embrace a fresh outlook on news.

Just like that, a husband and wife news team was born. Kenny sells the vision and Donna manages the layout. Both having family roots in our valley, it seemed a natural fit. The Melchor’s believe a paper should be free for all to read and at the same time keeping advertising rates well below market costs. This allows small businesses to compete in a corporate world.

In a time where daily newspapers are becoming extinct, the Clovis Roundup is beating the odds, she’s growing every issue thanks to local business and public support. The concept was for a betterment of people, to share interesting and uplifting stories, to bolster community pride. Our rich Valley stories are best told by its people, people that live and work here, people that care about the “Clovis Way of Life” and its historic preservation.

Awards and Accreditations

  • 2017 CNPA California Journalism Awards - Best Featured Story, 1st Place
  • 2017 CNPA California Journalism Awards - Sports Section, 3rd Place
  • 2016 George F. Gruner Award - Best Photo, Honorable Mention
  • 2016 George F. Gruner Award - Best Sports Story, Honorable Mention
  • 2014 Spirit of Clovis Award presented by the Clovis Hall of Fame
  • Accredited Member of California News Publishers Association (CNPA)
  • Clovis Chamber's 2012 Business Woman of the Year - Donna Melchor

Meet the Team

Donna Melchor

Owner/Publisher

Donna Melchor is the owner and publisher of the Clovis Roundup. Her love and passion for the City of Clovis and its people is the inspiration behind this publication. For her dedication, Donna Melchor has also been honored as the 2012 Business Woman of the Year and as the recipient of the 2014 Spirit of Clovis award held by the Clovis Hall of Fame.

Billy Xiong

Production/Operations

Billy Xiong started with Clovis Roundup shortly after the newspaper began. When he first came on board, he was only contracted to design ads for a small handful of clients. Today, he manages all operations from ad design, web content, social media to producing and editing videos. He is happily married to Tracie and has two children: Daughter Emery and son Nixon.

Caitie Kenney

Customer Service Rep

Caitie Kenney first began delivering newspapers in the early years of Clovis Roundup, and has since taken on any role she can to help out. Currently, she takes pride in protecting the legacy her parents built with Clovis Roundup by providing excellent customer service to all its clients. She is happily married to husband Nathan and has two fur babies; clumsy German Shepherd Kylo Ren and cuddly pitbull mix Nova.

JT Gomez

Reporter

JT is a recent college grad with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication. He is mainly interested in sports and entertainment but covers a wide array of subjects. He currently writes for the Fresno State Baseball Dugout Club. JT looks forward to continuing his career at the Clovis Roundup and is excited to be working closely with a community that is very proud of its people.

Destiny De La Cruz

Reporter

Destiny De La Cruz is a budding journalist with a passion for photojournalism. As a Fresno State alumni, she earned a bachelor's degree in Mass Communication & Journalism, the Film & Media Arts option with a minor in Anthropology. She has an interest in all things film, food, literature & outdoors.

Nikki McCabe

Reporter

Nikki is a Fresno resident and a graduate of Fresno State University, with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Media Communications and Journalism. Nikki spent some time as a staff reporter at the Fresno State Collegian Newspaper, and now currently works part time at the KFSN-TV station in Fresno. She enjoys local community events, arts and entertainment, and crime news.

Carole Grosch

Writer/Reporter

Carole Grosch has been writing and reporting with the Roundup for over seven years. She is a seasoned veteran reporter with tons of experience and knowledge. She does feature stories and cover arts and entertainment for the Clovis Roundup. She is a great asset to our team.

Peg Bos

Contributing Writer

Peg Bos is the president of the Clovis Museum on 4th and Pollasky avenues in Old Town Clovis. She not only manages the museum but she also writes her Let's Talk Clovis column in our publication which features and highlight the amazing history of our city and culture. One fun fact about Peg Bos, she was the first female mayor of Clovis from 1984-86.