In honor of another 12 months gone by, QCS is compiling a year in review to be published in installments. May 2005 was rife with the following news. May 1: Despite the cooler than usual spring temperatures, County Extension Agent Pete Walden said it was time to start planting and offered some tips. May 2: Local teen Danny Benavidez, who has a 6-month-old son, addressed his Tucumcari High School class on the issue of teen pregnancy the previous week. May 5: More than 300 people came to dance, eat and play at Mesalands Community College’s Cinco de Mayo celebration. May 7: Mary Jane Adaakie, a.k.a. The Bread Lady, was in town for a special visit at the Tucumcari Historical Museum to offer her baked delicacies. May 8: Logan mother Tamie Russell spent her Mother’s Day with her husband who works in Iraq, her daughter and three foster children who moved in with the family about two months prior. May 9: Opening arguments began in the retrial of Kyle Evetts, a farmer and rancher who faced nine counts of criminal sexual contact of a minor. His first trial in November ended in a hung jury and was declared a mistrial. May 9: Overtime snow removal crews who shoveled hard in March were to get reimbursed $27,000 from the state Dept. of Finance. May 10: Tucumcari Rattlers baseballers were headed to the state tournament after trouncing the Navajo Prep Eagles 15-0. May 10: Quay County farmers were getting 12 inches of rainwater allocated to them, as per the announcement made at the Arch Hurley Conservancy District board meeting. May 10: A celebration of the 40th anniversary of Dan C. Trigg Memorial Hospital was held therein with keynote speaker Jim Hinton of Presbyterian Health Services. May 12: The forecast for the week was 80 degrees and a chance of thunderstorms. May 18: County Commissioner Grace Madrid died at the age of 54 following an extended illness. “She was a friend to everybody,” said Quay County Clerk Ellen White. May 19: Tucumcari High School’s Future Farmers of America chapter held its banquet that came complete with dessert served by FFA member Olivia Mitchell. May 20: The former Tucumcari schools administration building, which stood on Mesalands Community College property, was razed and removed to make way for the new expansion of the campus. May 21: A butterfly walk was held at Conchas Lake State Park led by State Parks Interpretive Ranger Steve Cary, who doubles as a butterfly specialist. May 23: Tucumcari High School senior Lorena Benavidez ate her way to first place in the girls’ cream-pie eating contest at the Senior Olympics, an all day event at the school. May 23: Tucumcari High School’s athletic banquet ended up with about 350 attendees and congratulations to many players, like footballer Adrian Jones. May 26: Tucumcari streets got fogged with mosquito spray, one of the four times they are sprayed throughout the year. “With all the smoky fog, the streets will appear to be on fire,” said Larry Sparks, co-owner of Mac’s Four Season pest-control company that held the city contract to kill mosquitoes. May 26: Tucumcari Quay County Senior Olympics held their basketball free throw, table tennis and air gun events. May 26: A major meat packing plant was considering a location in Tucumcari, according to Economic Development Director Pete Kampfer at a city commission meeting. May 27: The Tucumcari Municipal Pool was officially not opening for the summer. It was about $190,000 short on money for repairs, said City Manager Richard Primrose. May 28: Summer jobs abounded for students out of school, according to the state’s Dept. of Labor and local retailers. May 29: Tipsy Tow, the free towing service from the AAA auto club, was again available for Memorial Day weekend for those who didn’t want to drink and drive. May 31: A special meeting was held by Mesalands Community College’s board of trustees regarding approval of a Career-Vocational Technical Education Center (C-TEC) proposal.