Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Sorted by date Results 1483 - 1507 of 1717
The New Mexico Racing Commission on Thursday morning abruptly canceled a planned April 30 special meeting to discuss awarding a sixth horse-racing license and, by afternoon, a new racing commission was appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham. The commission sent out an email Thursday morning, stating the planned April 30 meeting had been canceled “under further notice.” Commission Executive Director Ismael “Izzy” Trejo declined comment when contacted by phone Thursday morning but said he might make a statement later amid “fast-m...
The Quay County Commission, at the urging of a local prosecutor, is considering reviving an animal ordinance because the absence of one is breaking state law. Deputy District Attorney Ozy Adams told commissioners during their regular meeting Monday he was investigating a case where a “repeat offender” had let his dogs run loose in the county, and one had killed a neighbor’s dog. In researching the case, Adams said he found Quay County did not have a state-mandated animal ordinance. Adams urged the commission to adopt most of the language from...
Al Hurricane Jr., son of the "Godfather of New Mexico music," returns to perform in Tucumcari for the first time in at least a decade Saturday night at the Tucumcari Convention Center. The event serves as a fundraiser for the New Mexico Music Showcase, set for May 31 to June 1 at the Tucumcari Convention Center. Al Hurricane Jr. wanted to perform at the showcase itself, organizer Jerry Lopez said, but another commitment prevented him from doing so. Lopez said the last time Al Hurricane Jr....
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees on April 16 approved a $9.6 million operating budget for fiscal year 2020 that runs a deficit of about $153,000. College President John Groesbeck, however, expressed confidence Mesalands can close the gap by consolidating a few positions or not replacing personnel who leave. Amanda Hammer, vice president of administrative affairs, said the college anticipates $9,602,449 in expenditures and $9,448,617 in revenue, leaving a deficit of $153,832. Groesbeck said it was difficult to get a firm...
The Tucumcari school board approved several resolutions for the upcoming 2019-2020 school year, including setting pay levels, an operating budget and the school calendar. In general, teachers, office workers and other staff will receive a 6% increase in pay for the coming year — fueled by the state’s recent budget plan that provides 16% more money for public schools. With a minimum 6% pay increase, Tucumcari’s Level I certified staff would receive a minimum of $41,000 a year; Level II, $50,000; and Level III, $60,000. Occupational therapists, s...
Center fielder AnnMarie Strong caught Tucumcari slugger Loren Chavez's sinking line drive in the gap and held on for the final out despite colliding with her right fielder during Logan's come-from-behind 10-7 softball victory Saturday at Rattler Field. The finale, which came with two Tucumcari runners on base and Chavez representing the tying run, proved to be a fitting end for the Lady Longhorns (6-7), whose outfielders kept getting key outs despite a swirling southeast wind that made catching...
The Tucumcari baseball team lost four more games last week, extending its losing streak to 15. Improbably enough, the Rattlers (1-17) still have a chance for a postseason berth if they can string together a few wins. That's because of the Rattlers' strength of schedule. A look at the latest coaches' poll of Class 3A teams reveals four of the teams in Tucumcari's District 4/5 - Sandia Prep, East Mountain, New Mexico Military Institute and Dexter - each are ranked in the top 10 in the state. Two...
A Tucumcari man briefly was jailed last week after being accused of robbing another man of his cellphone and demanding money from the victim to give it back. Raymond Pacheco, 55, was booked on a complaint of robbery, extortion and battery. The robbery and extortion counts are third-degree felonies that can lead up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. According to a complaint filed in magistrate court by Tucumcari Patrolman Tyler Davis, the victim told the officer he was walking in an alley April 13 near George Molinas Park and...
Entities and festivals that requested money from the Tucumcari Lodgers’ Tax Board during a special meeting Wednesday often received less — sometimes much less — due to budget constraints. The board needed to set its fiscal-year budget by May 1 so the city of Tucumcari could draft and submit its budget to the state’s Finance and Administration Department by June 1. The lodgers’ board asked entities or festivals that wanted financial aid to make presentations Wednesday. In the end, most received less than they had asked for because the board wou...
The New Mexico Supreme Court publicly censured a 10th Judicial District judge in Tucumcari after ruling he violated the Code of Judicial Conduct during a private meeting last year with Quay County’s manager. Judge Albert J. Mitchell Jr. was accused of saying he would ask the governor to veto capital-outlay funds due to the county because of a dispute over court-security funding, according to a document unsealed April 8 by the high court. Mitchell, who serves Quay, De Baca and Harding counties, denied he engaged in “willful misconduct reg...
A former Tucumcari fire chief on Tuesday pleaded no contest in district court to five criminal counts — three of them felonies — from a 2017 case in which he was accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a city employee and embezzling city funds. Shane Warner, 42, who now lives in Clovis, agreed in a 10th Judicial District courtroom to plead no contest to assault with intent to commit a violent felony (second- or third-degree criminal sexual penetration), attempt to commit a felony (extortion), felony tampering with evidence, misdemeanor res...
Cold wind and spitting rain lessened turnout Saturday for the first of four special events to mark the 50th anniversary of the Tucumcari Historical Museum. But the old-time atmosphere and storytelling remained thick among the hardy history buffs that participated. Saturday's event was called "The Early Days," with emphasis on the prehistory and early history of Quay County with Native Americans and Spanish colonials. Other special days are "Western Days" on June 1 (the actual 50th anniversary...
The Tucumcari girls softball team swept doubleheaders last week against Estancia and Pecos to improve to 8-1 overall. On Thursday at Rattler Field, Tucumcari held off Estancia 9-6 in the first game, then prevailed 12-2 in a nightcap shortened to five innings by the mercy rule. The Bears fell to 3-10. Defense proved to be crucial in the opener, as the Lady Rattlers committed two errors compared to the Bears' six. Three fielding miscues by Estancia, plus RBI hits by Melanie Jones and Jasmine...
The Tucumcari baseball team dropped two more home doubleheaders to district foes NMMI and East Mountain last week, extending its losing streak to 11 games. On Saturday, a lack of pitching depth bedeviled the Rattlers (1-13, 0-6 in district play) during losses of 19-5 and 22-0 to New Mexico Military Institute. Tucumcari's hurlers walked 18 batters and hit eight more with pitches during the twinbill. In both games, Tucumcari started promisingly, with starting pitchers Ryan Birch and EJ Martinez...
A Tucumcari man charged of a felony count of extreme animal cruelty faces jail again after a district judge issued a bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to appear in court for arraignment Wednesday. Tenth Judicial District Judge Albert Mitchell Jr. issued the no-bond warrant after Ralph Fletcher, 29, didn’t show up for his hearing Wednesday afternoon. Fletcher remained at large Monday morning. Brett Phelps, Fletcher’s attorney, acknowledged to Mitchell he had no contact with Fletcher since his preliminary hearing in late March. Fletche...
Quay County Clerk Ellen White told Quay County commissioners during their regular meeting Monday a new state law that allows same-day voter registration during elections will add “expensive” extra staffing to her office. Statutes that go into effect during primary elections in 2020 require live internet feeds at all voting precincts to check voters’ credentials. White said the new rules would necessitate more certified staff and equipment. White said prospective voters would have to provide photo identification and a second proof of resid...
Those awaiting a decision on a sixth horse-racing license in New Mexico will be waiting for a while longer. A settlement announced Wednesday of a lawsuit that had held up a license announcement for months was thrown into uncertainty when license applicants from Tucumcari and Clovis objected to the agreement in an Albuquerque courtroom Thursday. Because of the objections, the judge won’t make a decision on the settlement for several more weeks. Warren Frost, one of the principals for Coronado Partners that wants to build an $80 million horse-rac...
Police in Kentucky arrested the former owner and operator of the now-closed Tucumcari Donuts after he was accused of stealing $26,000 worth of doughnut-making and restaurant equipment from the business. Officers booked Chhaya Yun, 35, of Tucumcari on March 31 into the Scott County Detention Center in Georgetown, Kentucky, on a Quay County warrant of felony larceny. Yun, also known as Alex Yun, is awaiting extradition. Yun’s larceny complaint is a second-degree felony that could lead up to nine years in prison and a $10,000 fine. No attorney w...
Fielding and mental errors continued to plague the Tucumcari baseball team during doubleheader losses to Mora and Dexter last week. On Saturday, coach Dwayne Roberts also dealt with a short-handed varsity roster during 18-1 and 16-2 home losses to district foe Dexter (7-5). Four Tucumcari starters missed the game for varying reasons. That included No. 2 starting pitcher and third baseman Alijah Jimenez, who drew an in-school suspension and would have to sit the next four district games. With...
Against an all-state pitcher, the Tucumcari girls softball team couldn't afford many mistakes Thursday against (Las Vegas) Robertson. As a result, five errors by the Lady Rattlers loomed large - especially in a four-run second inning - during a 10-0 loss to the Cardinals (8-7). It was Tucumcari's first loss of the season (4-1). Robertson pitcher Mckayla Encinias stifled Tucumcari's offense to one hit - a single by Melanie Jones. Encinias struck out nine and walked three. The Cardinals banged...
The Tucumcari Historical Museum on Saturday will host the first of four special events to mark its 50th anniversary. Saturday’s event, called “The Early Days,” will delve into Quay County’s earliest history, including fossils, petroglyphs, Native Americans and Spanish colonials. Gates open at 9 a.m. The museum closes at 3 p.m. The event opens with a flag ceremony at 9:30 a.m. with Mesalands Community College student Jessica Paddock singing the national anthem in her native Navajo language. Among those giving demonstrations will be silvers...
Quay County sheriff’s deputies booked a Clovis man into the county jail after they accused him of being involved in an injury accident on Highway 209 south of Tucumcari and walking from the scene. Larry Lee Baca, 62, was jailed April 2 on complaints of two counts of reckless driving, resisting, evading or obstructing an officer, duty to give information and render aid and leaving the scene of an accident. The leaving-the-scene count is a third-degree felony that can lead up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. Baca was released from t...
Several members of the Tucumcari Lodgers’ Tax Board on Wednesday expressed dissatisfaction with the design of new tourism billboards west of the city. Members said they liked the design for the “Tucumcari Tonite” billboard with images of neon. However, they said other billboards along Interstate 40 west of Tucumcari that show the disc-golf course, area lakes and the dinosaur museum are difficult to read and don’t clearly indicate the attractions are in or near Tucumcari. City Manager Britt Lusk noted the billboards’ image designer, the Sunny...
Proposed redevelopment of Five Mile Park west of Tucumcari came more into focus during meetings Thursday of the park's planning committee. Among the top ideas presented to the Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday evening were artist's renderings of the old Route 66 park being converted into several uses - a shooting-sports area, nonmotorized trails, a children's adventure area, a walking trail, an ATV or motorcycle area, an area for drone-flying or paintball activities, overflow parking and a...
The 11th annual Quay County Friends of National Rifle Association Banquet on Saturday drew nearly 480 people but proved to be less than a sellout - an indication residents are less up-in-arms about gun-control bills in the state Legislature than they were just weeks ago. Kent Terry, the event's chairman, reported at the end of the banquet at the Tucumcari Convention Center a total of 475 tickets had been sold - short of a sellout total of 525. Terry said if the banquet had been a few weeks...