Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Sorted by date Results 1083 - 1107 of 1717
The New Mexico Supreme Court last week ruled the governor is authorized to impose stiff fines for violations of the state’s public health order during the coronavirus pandemic. The unanimous decision from the bench arrived Aug. 4 after about an hour of deliberation by the justices following 75 minutes of arguments and questioning of each sides’ lawyers in the court’s chambers in Santa Fe. The court consists of two elected Democrats, two justices appointed by a Democratic governor and one justice appointed by a Republican governor. The decis...
Quay County’s clerk gave the county commission an update Monday on general election procedures, including a political action committee’s mass mailing that has sparked confusion among many voters. Ellen White said about 1,100 residents have received absentee ballot applications for the November election from the nonpartisan, nonprofit Center for Voter Information, formerly the Voter Participation Center, that can be filled out and mailed to the clerk’s office. White said her office has received about 100 filled applications from the cente...
This month’s coronavirus regulations will be like last month’s. New Mexico's governor on Thursday extended the current health order through Aug. 28 with the hope the number of cases would fall. She said that would allow students to return to schools after Labor Day and prompt the easing of some restrictions that month, as well. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said during her briefing that current health restrictions that would remain in place include occupancy limits for many businesses and churches, bans on public gatherings, recommendations of...
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees apparently had a lot to discuss Wednesday during a two-hour, behind-closed-doors special meeting — including replacing one of its recently deceased colleagues. Trustee Craig Currell died July 25 after an extended illness. Board Chairman Jim Streetman acknowledged after the meeting replacing him was one of the topics of discussion Wednesday and would be during future meetings. The official meeting agenda included discussion of limited personnel matters and litigation for the closed session. T...
Despite the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, governmental entities in Quay County continue to see minimal impacts on gross receipts tax revenue. Quay County manager Richard Primrose said during a recent county commission meeting the July report on gross receipts taxes that reflect sales in May showed a strong increase. “It surprises me that gross tax receipts are up so well,” he said during the meeting. During a follow-up phone interview last week, Primrose said gross receipts tax revenue to the county collected in May was about $22...
The San Jon school board voted last week during a special meeting to delay the first day of school from Aug. 10 to Sept. 8. San Jon’s new school starting date is the same day a new order by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham that allows in-person teaching of elementary students goes into effect. Superintendent Janet Gladu said San Jon would hold classes in-house that day for children from kindergarten through fifth grade. Students from sixth to 12th grades would begin classes online until the state deems it safe to resume in-person classes. Those i...
Construction of a new O'Reilly Auto Parts store in Tucumcari still is planned after several delays, but an official with the company said it probably wouldn't open until the second quarter of 2021 at the earliest. A 7,200-square-foot O'Reilly Auto Parts store No. 5437 is slated at 1316 E. Tucumcari Blvd., site of the now-abandoned Cactus RV Park. O'Reilly filed a business license with the city in early 2019. Such stores typically employ about a dozen people. O'Reilly's online planning room...
The Logan school board last week approved a detailed, phased-in reopening plan for students that includes in-class instruction for students from kindergarten through second grade starting in mid-August and the rest of the student body taking online classes until at least after Labor Day. The plan, drafted by superintendent Dennis Roch with consultation from staff and board members, comes with the hope all students would attend classes at Logan schools by early October if they wished. The full plan is on the school’s website at t...
New Mexico's governor announced Thursday the delay of in-person classes at public schools through Labor Day because of a sharp rise in coronavirus cases in recent weeks. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said schools would resort entirely to online teaching when the year begins in mid-August until at least Sept. 8 — the first day in-person classes are scheduled to resume. After Labor Day, she said the goal was to have schools phase in a hybrid model of in-person and online classes. She said in-person classes would begin first with kindergarten t...
A case that will be heard before the New Mexico Supreme Court this week pits a state government that cites rising cases of coronavirus for restricting the operation of restaurants versus a sector that alleges the state's action will cost more jobs and prompt more businesses to close. The New Mexico Restaurant Association and seven restaurants stated in court filings the state's restrictions have cost tens of thousands of jobs and closed more than 200 restaurants. The state maintains indoor...
Tucumcari Public Schools board members last week discussed the upcoming school year that would have included a hybrid approach of in-person and online teaching in response to the coronavirus pandemic, plus an online-only option. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s order days later rendered parts of that plan at least temporarily moot. She said the state’s public schools must use online learning only (with a few exceptions) through at least Labor Day because of rising COVID-19 cases in the state. Superintendent Aaron McKinney said during a phone int...
The Quay County Commission on Monday somewhat reluctantly but unanimously approved a resolution to adopt a $15.747 million budget for fiscal year 2021 — an increase of nearly 17% from the previous year’s budget. County Finance Director Cheryl Simpson the budget’s increase mainly comes from capital improvement projects such as a new $3.2 million bridge on old Route 66 east of San Jon, road work and new firetrucks for a few rural departments. State money would cover much of those projects. The previous year’s budget totaled $13.475 million...
Craig Currell, a member of the Mesalands Community College board of trustees and a former operator of Currell Lumber Co. that constructed numerous buildings in Tucumcari, died Saturday after an extended illness. He was 76. Currell had been re-elected in November to a six-year term on the board of trustees but had missed its last few meetings because of his illness. He also served on the college's foundation as vice chairman. He also was director of the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum until his...
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees on July 21 discussed a revised reopening plan, though parts were rendered at least temporarily moot after the governor ordered colleges and universities to start the fall with online learning. Acting college president Natalie Gillard said the plan was submitted the previous day to the New Mexico Higher Education Department for review. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham issued an order two days later to require online learning at higher education institutions except for “clinicals, practicum or f...
An investigation into a deputy’s missing duty weapon has led to theft charges, other criminal allegations and the loss of the deputy’s job at the Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office. Chris McCasland, 34, was arrested twice last week, accused of stealing a snowmobile and other items when he was a police officer in Angel Fire about six years ago. McCasland has ties to Tucumcari. McCasland’s attorney said he’s innocent of all the charges and allegations, that this is all the result of a custody dispute with his former wife involving their two childr...
Virtually all the paperwork has been signed. All that remains for Tucumcari MainStreet to take over operations of the Tucumcari Railroad Museum is an act by the New Mexico Secretary of State's office. The last remaining deed is to dissolve the nonprofit organization that ran the museum at the city's historic depot. Connie Loveland, executive director of Tucumcari MainStreet, said the Secretary of State could do that as soon as this week. Though the Tucumcari Railroad Museum remains closed...
The self-guided Tucumcari Talking Tour debuted Wednesday afternoon with a brief live message on social media at the New Mexico Route 66 Museum. The tour's creator, Tracy Johnson, drove her blue 1965 Ford Mustang in the museum's parking lot during the Facebook Live feed. On her car's AM radio, the brief message about the museum and other sites in Tucumcari came through loud and clear. "We've got 16 locations (on the tour)," Johnson said. "Everybody's up and running and sounding great." She...
The superintendent of San Jon Municipal Schools said late in the school board’s meeting last week she doubted schools would reopen to in-person classes in mid-August. Superintendent Janet Gladu said in her opinion, schools in New Mexico would have to open to online classes when the school year begins next month because of a sharp increase in COVID-19 cases in the state. Gladu weeks earlier had expressed optimism San Jon schools would reopen normally because class sizes would be under the required 50% occupancy rate, with an additional bus r...
The Logan Municipal Schools board last week approved a fall reopening plan but rejected an option for additional instruction time if schools close because of COVID-19 and the district is forced to online teaching. The New Mexico Public Education Department offered districts up to 10 more instructional days if they have to resort to virtual learning because of the pandemic. Logan superintendent Dennis Roch said the district’s continuous learning plan used when schools closed in March showed high participation and no loss in academic c...
The New Mexico Activities Association on Wednesday released its radically altered sports calendar for the coming school year in response to the coronavirus pandemic. As expected, almost all sports will have condensed seasons of 10 to 12 weeks each. Cross country and golf will begin their seasons first in mid-September, with volleyball starting in early October. Basketball season begins Jan. 4 and football season Feb. 22. Wrestling season won't begin until early April. Baseball and softball...
The former president of Mesalands Community College filed a lawsuit against the college after his firing there in April, alleging whistleblower violations and retaliation. In the eight-page suit, John Groesbeck stated he confronted the college’s foundation members, many whom also are on the board of trustees, at a board meeting March 3 about allegations of improper distribution of federal grant funds, fraudulent property leases and improper appropriation of money to the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum. Two weeks later, Groesbeck was placed on i...
Tucumcari Donuts will reopen by early August under a new name and manager after it closed more than 18 months ago and its previous operator was accused of stealing its equipment. Rotha Chhin, an immigrant from Cambodia who became a U.S. citizen about six years ago, in recent days has been preparing the building at 600 E. Tucumcari Blvd. He said last week he was awaiting a health inspection and additional equipment before he reopens it as a Donut Pro. Chhin also is a manager of a doughnut shop in San Angelo, Texas, and recently sold another...
SAN JON - Graduation for San Jon High School's three seniors was moved outdoors as a drive-up ceremony due to coronavirus restrictions, but the more immediate risk Saturday seemed to be sunstroke and heat exhaustion. Temperatures that day were forecast at 109 degrees, and the thermometer stood at 104 less than a half-hour before the ceremony at the San Jon Community Center's parking lot. About 10 minutes before the event, a cloud from an approaching storm obscured the broiling sun, bringing a...
Restaurateurs in Tucumcari and other parts of Quay County felt a bad sense of deja vu when the governor re-imposed a ban on indoor dining effective Monday, citing a steep rise in coronavirus cases. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Thursday during a briefing that restaurants and breweries would be banned from offering indoor dining and limited to carryout or delivery of meals. It was a repeat of the restrictions imposed in mid-March through early June. Restaurants with outside or patio seating are limited to 50% occupancy for diners. Todd D...
Tucumcari’s revenue from motel taxes in the just-completed fiscal year was only about $8,900 less than projections, giving optimism to the city’s Lodgers Tax Advisory Board the coronavirus pandemic’s effects won’t be as severe as predicted. City Finance Director Rachelle Arias said the city completed its fiscal year with $583,328 in motel taxes, compared to the projected total of $592,238. May motel-tax collections totaled $39,385, which was 31% below the projection of $55,503. But the Lodgers Tax Board’s executive fund and promotion...