Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 2330
Tucumcari High School wrestler Josh Pacheco, competing at 152 pounds, won all six of his matches at the Hiroshi Memorial Battle for Honor tournament Friday at Gallup. Pacheco, who hasn’t lost a bout this season, defeated five opponents by pin less than two minutes into the match. His sixth victory was by forfeit. Teammates Fernando Ureste, at 139 pounds, and Josiah Sanchez, at 145, won all four of the matches they competed in Friday. THS coach Tim Clark said Ureste looked “really good” against tough competition from New Mexico and Arizo...
A Tucumcari man will spend nearly five years in prison for his role in a local man’s fatal mauling by a pack of dogs last year. San Miguel County District Judge Abigail Aragon on Dec. 2 sentenced Kristopher Jaquarias Morris, 29, to six years in prison with credit for 134 days served in the Quay County Detention Center after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of prohibited acts (dangerous dog; death of a person). Aragon classified the conviction as a violent felony, which means Morris must serve 85% of his sentence. Minus credit for his incarc...
The board for Logan Municipal Schools will have two candidates to consider for interim superintendent, including a former superintendent of House Municipal Schools. The candidates are former House superintendent Bonnie Lightfoot of Tucumcari and former Texline principal Ross Perschbacher of Amistad. Candidates were required to apply before noon Dec. 5. Lightfoot was superintendent at House in southern Quay County from 2017 to 2023. In March 2023, the House school board placed Lightfoot on paid administrative leave. Parents there said that was...
Tucumcari MainStreet has received a $1.7 million grant from the New Mexico Economic Development Department and New Mexico MainStreet for Phase 2 of construction on the Great Blocks on MainStreet project. Connie Loveland, executive director of Tucumcari MainStreet, said the grant would be used to create new sidewalks, light poles and landscaping on Main Street between First and Second Streets. Loveland said she was excited to receive the full $1.7 million her organization requested. “We didn’t expect to get quite that much. It was a pleasant sur...
The Logan boys basketball team breezed to the championship of the J.P. Stone Tournament in Dora with three victories, including a 72-29 blasting of Roy-Mosquero on Saturday in the final. The Longhorns (3-0) jumped to a 15-1 lead against the Blue and led 46-8 at halftime. Logan’s superior size — namely 6-foot-7 Hayden Bruhn and 6-foot-5 Mason Wallin — made Roy-Mosquero change its shots near the basket, hampering its offense. Bruhn scored 28 points to lead the Longhorns, including a dunk in the second quarter. Wallin added 17 points. Jace Jacks...
The Tucumcari boys basketball team captured the consolation bracket title with a 59-36 victory Saturday over Cottonwood Classical Prep at the West Las Vegas Brian Gallegos Memorial tournament. Luis Archuleta scored 36 points to lead the Rattlers (2-1), whose only loss during the tourney was a 59-53 decision to Thoreau in the opening round Thursday. Archuleta and Daymion Urioste each were named to the all-tournament team for THS. Tucumcari, leading only 25-22 at intermission, seized control with a 34-14 second half. Jermy Jones added eight...
The Logan girls basketball team made it to the finals Saturday of the J.P. Stone Tournament at Dora, only to find a perennially tough Roy-Mosquero squad standing in its way. The Lady Blue used a 16-1 scoring run in the first and second periods to seize control over the Lady Longhorns during a 58-39 victory. Logan had trailed 11-10 late in the first period when Roy-Mosquero began its big run. The Lady Blue led 36-21 at halftime. Logan never got closer than 12 points the rest of the way. Desta Rose led the Lady Longhorns (2-1) with 12 points....
The Tucumcari girls basketball squad stormed to a 56-21 victory Saturday over Academy for Technology and the Classics to secure a fifth-place finish and consolation bracket title at the West Las Vegas Brian Gallegos Memorial tournament. The Lady Rattlers (2-1) jumped out to an 18-4 lead after one quarter, 35-13 at halftime and 53-14 after three quarters. Caylee Benavidez scored 24 points to lead the Lady Rattlers, while younger sister Cambree added 10 points. Kyla Lopez totaled 11 points and 11 rebounds. “We had a strong first two quarters, a...
Tucumcari wrestler Josh Pacheco won all five his matches during a rugged season-opening Tom Torres Duals on Saturday at Los Lunas. The Rattlers squad won two of five dual matches during the 14-team event. In early pool play, Tucumcari lost to Atrisco Heritage 58-12 and was edged by Organ Mountain 35-34. In seeded matches, Tucumcari downed Sandia 36-33, swamped Bernalillo 60-17 and lost to Valencia 48-30 to secure second place in its bracket. Former Tucumcari wrestling coach Eddie Encinias came out of semi-retirement to guide the boys squad...
Logan Municipal Schools probably will know by mid-December who will be its interim superintendent to replace the departing Dennis Roch. The district’s board during a special meeting on Nov. 26 voted to accept applications for candidates for interim superintendent through noon Dec. 5. Board President Toby Willis said during the meeting that top candidates likely would be interviewed on Dec. 9, and the board “hopefully” would approve an interim superintendent on Dec. 16. The board tabled action on a timeline for hiring a permanent super...
A house fire in Tucumcari on Friday night rendered three adults homeless and killed two dogs. Firefighters were called to a home at 416 S. Fourth St. shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, according to dispatcher logs. Flames were seen pouring through the home's roof. The fire was brought under control in about an hour. No one was home at the time the fire was reported, though two dogs inside died in the blaze. No other injuries were reported. The home was owned by Virginia Martinez. Her brother Victor...
A Tucumcari man was jailed on embezzlement charges after being accused of stealing more than $1,000 in cigarettes from a store where he worked. Willie M. Thomas Jr., 39, was arrested on Nov. 27 after being charged with three counts of embezzlement (over $250 but not more than $500). All are misdemeanor counts that could lead up to six months in jail or a $500 fine. According to an affidavit filed by Tucumcari Police patrolman Ryan Vaughan, officers were summoned on Nov. 26 to the Family Dollar store to investigate an employee accused of stealin...
Three key components of Tucumcari's potent passing attack each earned first-team all-district honors. Junior quarterback Nick Goen, junior wide receiver Luis Archuleta and junior running back Daymion Urioste each earned top honors in District 2 of Class 2A. Goen completed 95 of 179 passes for 1,464 yards, 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Archuleta caught 42 passes for 767 yards - an average of 18.2 yards per catch - for 14 touchdowns. Urioste caught 41 passes for 846 yards - an average of...
A late surge by Maxwell girls basketball team give it a 31-23 victory over visiting San Jon on Saturday. The Maxwell boys squad blasted San Jon 96-11 later that day. They were season-opening games for both teams. In the girls matchup, Maxwell clinged an 18-15 lead at the end of the third quarter. The Lady Bears gave themselves breathing room with a 13-8 run in the fourth quarter, securing the win. “The girls did very well,” San Jon coach Gib Donovan said. “We have a lot to work on this coming week, but I think we made an excellent showi...
Two Logan players were selected for Saturday’s annual small-school Red-Green All-Star Football Game at Artesia. Senior running back Haden Judd and senior linebacker Payson Nials will represent the Longhorns, who were state champions in six-man football this year. Logan coach Dwayne Roberts informed the Quay County Sun of of his two players’ selections. The game will take place at noon Saturday at the Bulldog Bowl in Artesia. The large-school Red-Green game will take place later that day at 3 p.m. The events are organized by the New Mexico Hig...
New Mexico’s State Canvass Board on Nov. 26 unanimously certified the results of the 2024 general election. The board is comprised of the governor, Secretary of State and chief justice of the New Mexico Supreme Court. During the meeting, the board also ordered automatic recounts in elections for state representative District 57 and Los Alamos County commissioner at large. Both races saw margins of less than 1%. The next scheduled State Canvass Board meeting to certify the automatic recount results will be on Dec. 16. The board also shared p...
A former Tucumcari city commissioner was sentenced to probation and community service after he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of bouncing a check of nearly $3,000 for outstanding water bills. Christopher W. Arias, 31, pleaded guilty to fraud by worthless check in a deal with prosecutors. According to court documents, Arias was placed on 18 months of supervised probation. He also must perform 50 hours of community service and complete either the ASPEN of New Mexico “Second Chance Life Values” treatment program or a financial acc...
A state-mandated audit last week of one voting precinct in Quay County in the Nov. 5 election confirmed the original ballot count was accurate. Three election officials, County Clerk Ellen White, Deputy Clerk Veronica Manley and District Judge Timothy Rose presided over a hand recount Wednesday of 327 ballots cast in Quay County's Precinct 6, which is bordered by Highway 209 to the west, U.S. 54 to the north, the San Jon school district border to the east and the caprock to the south. The New...
Two healthcare organizations that serve six counties, including Quay, learned they will receive a total of about $2.6 million from the state Rural Health Care Delivery Fund. A news release Thursday from Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham stated Multicultural Evaluation and Consultation Associates, also known as MECA Therapies, will receive an estimated $1,617,176 from the fund to enhance maternal healthcare coordination in Quay, Curry, Roosevelt, Dona Ana, Chaves and Lea counties. MECA Therapies, which offers prenatal and early childhood services,...
The Christmas season in Tucumcari officially will begin Saturday with the city’s annual Light Parade, along with other activities throughout the day as part of Small Business Saturday. “Our hope is to have enough people stay here and shop in town on Saturday,” Tucumcari MainStreet director Connie Loveland said. The traditional big event is Christmas Light Parade at the 6 p.m., organized by the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce. Parade entries will line up at the Legacy Church parking lot near Lake Street and East Tucumcari Boule...
Tucumcari's volleyball team boasted an all-time high of five players making first-team all-district honors, including the Player of the Year. Senior setter Caylee Benavidez, one of the most decorated players in THS volleyball history, earned Player of the Year honors in District 6-2A. Other first-team district choices for the Lady Rattlers were junior middle blocker Kyla Lopez, sophomore outside hitter Cambree Benavidez, senior outside hitter and defensive specialist July Lafferty and senior...
Two area players played big roles in their team's four-set victory Saturday at the annual 1A/2A Red-Green All-Star Volleyball Game organized by the New Mexico High School Coaches Association. Logan senior setter and middle blocker Haylie Bidegain notched 13 kills and three blocks and Tucumcari senior setter Caylee Benavidez totaled 18 assists and five kills in the Red team's 21-25, 25-21, 25-9, 25-19 victory over the Green All-Stars. The match was played at St. Pius X High School in...
Five players from Logan’s state runner-up squad were named to the first team of Region 6-1A all-district volleyball. Lady Longhorns who made the team were senior setter and middle blocker Haylie Bidegain, junior outside hitter Desta Rose, sophomore libero Jadyn Garcia, junior defensive specialist Mylee Stone and junior setter Charli Fuller. Bidegain led the Lady Longhorns in kills (276), aces (43), hitting percentage (.281) and blocks (71) and was second on the team in assists (342). She also was chosen for Saturday’s Class 1A/2A Red-Green All...
A total of seven players from the state-champion Logan six-man football team earned first-team District 1 honors, including Player of the Year. Another four Longhorns earned second-team honors. Player of the Year was senior running back Haden Judd, who totaled over 2,200 all-purpose yards and 35 touchdowns during the season for the 12-0 Longhorns, who earned their first-ever state championship in football. Judd averaged almost 120 yards rushing per game and 15 yards per carry. He scored 26...
New Mexico State Police arrested a Thoreau man on his fifth driving-while-intoxicated charge after a high-speed chase through Quay and Guadalupe counties. Jimmie Glen Yazzie Jr., 44, was charged with 13 total counts: aggravated DWI, aggravated assault on a peace officer, aggravated fleeing a law-enforcement officer, resisting or evading an officer, criminal damage to property, driving while license revoked, reckless driving, speeding, failure to maintain traffic lane, no turn signal, overtaking vehicle on the right and improper equipment. The...