Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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The Arch Hurley Conservancy District board of directors voted 4-1 last Tuesday to not allocate any more water for the fall growing season and officially set criteria to close its canals from Conchas Lake for the year. The action sparked grumbling from five farmers who wanted more water to grow hay, winter wheat or other crops. “Y’all are going to break a bunch of people,” one said. Before the board’s action, they generally voiced wishes for a small water allocation this fall but to also leave some water in the lake for next spring. Board m...
Logan started slow but finished strong with a 53-0 district victory Friday over visiting Dora in six-man football action. Haden Judd led the Longhorns (4-0) with 116 yards rushing and four touchdowns on just nine carries. Quarterback Aydin Kotara completed 11 of 18 passes for 156 yards and four touchdowns and one interception. Logan coach Dwayne Roberts acknowledged his team’s slow start during a scoreless first quarter, but he indicated he wasn’t too worried about it. “Our defense is pretty stout,” he explained. “Once we made some adjustmen...
Two of Tucumcari’s top runners shaved a full minute off their previous-best times Saturday during the Rattlers’ eighth-place finish at the Badger Run cross-country meet at Amarillo West College. Alex Bueno De La O finished 19th overall in a time of 17 minutes, 30.7 seconds over the 5,000-meter course. Fernando Ureste finished 20th with a time of 17:35.34. THS coach Tim Clark said he was happy with the pair’s faster times and noted Ureste was leading his teammate during the first half of the race. Other Tucumcari runners were Patric Szaloy (31st...
The Quay County Commission on Monday approved property tax rates for 2024 that showed “minuscule” changes from the previous year, according to its assessor. County Assessor Dana Leonard said his office’s role is to assess property values only. He said the local property tax rates are supplied by the state after the county sets its annual budget. “The assessor’s office doesn’t have control of the rates,” he said, contrary to some residents’ opinions. Describing the changes in property tax rates as “minuscule,” Leonard said no parts of the cou...
Tucumcari boasted the top individual boys runner and Logan boasted the top boys team Saturday at the Raton/Maxwell Invitational cross-country meet. Official results from the meet weren’t available before deadline. THS senior Alex Bueno De La O finished the 3 miles on the Raton Golf Course in about 18 minutes, 50 seconds, according to his coach, Tim Clark. His teammate, Fernando Ureste, finished seventh overall with a time of about 19:20. Other Rattlers competing were Bryson Klinger, Patric Szaloy, Jaythen Urioste and Paxton Smith. The T...
Last year's Fired Up festival was enough of a success, Tucumcari MainStreet Executive Director Connie Loveland saw no need to make big changes for this year's event on Saturday. Back will be the perennially popular Odd-Lab group with its fire-based performance after dusk. Back will be the the Roller Only car club, with several low rider vehicles anticipated with the car show. Last year's show drew nearly 70 entries. And again, the festival will host about 60 vendors around the Tucumcari...
Down by three touchdowns, Tucumcari’s football team roared back in the second half and came within a two-point conversion of tying it in the fourth quarter before succumbing 50-42 Saturday at McCurdy. Rattlers receiver Luis Archuleta played a big role in Tucumcari’s near-comeback, catching six passes for 153 yards and three touchdowns. Daymion Urioste scored two touchdowns for the Rattlers. Eric Acosta and emergency backup quarterback Alijah Martinez also scored TDs. Despite the Rattlers falling to 0-3, head coach Doug South said he saw enc...
A Tucumcari restaurant will be competing in next week’s annual Green Chile Cheeseburger Challenge at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque. Del’s Restaurant, which has operated along Route 66 in Tucumcari since 1956, is among 10 contestants in the event that will begin at noon on Sept. 9 in the fairgrounds’ Agriculture Building Courtyard. Other green chile cheeseburger competitors will hail from Albuquerque, Belen, Questa, Rio Rancho, Hatch and Ruidoso. Competitors will prepare their burgers on-site before they’re given to the judges....
The Tucumcari Public Schools board received three candidates, including a former board president, to fill a vacant seat in District 1. Superintendent Carl Marano said the board has scheduled a 6 p.m. Sept. 9 special meeting to interview the candidates. He said it is likely the board will chose the new District 1 representative that night. The candidates are: — Carlos Romero, previously a board member who served as president when he declined to run for re-election in 2019; — Maria Carmen Gonzalez, a city code enforcement officer who ran unsucces...
The death of an elderly Bernalillo County woman has been connected to a multistate outbreak of Listeria caused by Boar’s Head brand deli meats. Dozens of the brand’s varieties were ordered pulled from public sale nationwide by federal health officials last month. Listeria is a bacterial infection from contaminated foods that can cause intestinal illness. “In most cases, people exposed may experience no more than mild gastrointestinal illness,” said Dr. Miranda Durham, chief medical officer of the New Mexico Department of Health. “Howeve...
Tucumcari’s police chief confirmed last Wednesday a Snapchat video showing police officers with a significant amount of cash is the subject of a police investigation. One of the captions with the video stated: “This is what we do with the drug money we confiscate.” At one point in the video, the money is tossed into the air. But TPD Chief Patti Lopez said the cash wasn’t confiscated from an arrest. Instead, she said, it was money that one of the officers won while gambling at a casino. Lopez described the video as “officers making poor choi...
A slow start and penalties led the Tucumcari High School team falling behind early and losing a 35-23 non-district road game Saturday afternoon to Hozho Academy. The Wolves scored two quick touchdowns in the first quarter for a 14-0 lead. Meanwhile, a slew a penalties — including three straight holding calls — hampered the Rattlers. Tucumcari got on the scoreboard later in the period with a safety when Hozho’s quarterback threw the ball away from his end zone. The referees ruled it was intentional grounding, giving two points to the Rattl...
The Logan boys cross-country team finished eighth Saturday at the 15-team ATC Invitational in Santa Fe. The Longhorns finished with 263 team points. Taos won the meet with 43 points, while Pecos was runner-up with 78 points. Kale Griffiths was the top runner for the Longhorns, finishing 41st on the 3-mile course in a time of 20 minutes, 44 seconds. Other runners for Logan were Mitchell Wall (45th, 20:56), Chris Lucero (54th, 21:49), Mason Barnhart (61st, 22:05), Bill DeLuca (62nd, 22:06), Devin Kotara (63rd, 22:14) and Payson Nials (71st,...
Tucumcari’s police chief confirmed Wednesday a Snapchat video showing police officers with a significant amount of cash is the subject of a police investigation. One of the captions with the video stated: “This is what we do with the drug money we confiscate.” At one point the money is tossed into the air. But TPD Chief Patti Lopez said the cash wasn’t confiscated from an arrest. Instead, she said, it was money that one of the officers won while gambling at a casino. Lopez described the video as “officers making poor choices” and added: “I w...
Next week, Tucumcari residents will have the rare opportunity to experience a performance here by two classical pianists - including one who will be a future resident. Siri Saracino, a professor of piano at Luca Marenzio Conservatory of Music of Brescia, Italy, and his student, Giulia Varga, will perform a free concert and recital at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Tucumcari High School auditorium. Answering emailed questions from the Quay County Sun, Saracino said the program will be about one hour. It...
The president of Mesalands Community College told the board of trustees last week he anticipates having the fiscal-year 2023 audit finished by the end of August and completing an FY2024 audit by the regular Nov. 1 deadline. “This would put us in compliance with our audits!” Allen Moss wrote in his president’s report. “I’m am hearing positive results from this audit. We will still have findings, however steady improvement on each audit is what we’re looking for.” Moss also wrote that finishing the 2024 audit by the usual deadline this year was...
New Mexico State Police arrested in Tucumcari a man accused of stealing a vehicle from Massachusetts after an advanced license plate reader system spotted the vehicle. According to a social media post by NMSP, the plate reader system had detected a stolen vehicle from Massachusetts. “The system displayed the plate number and picture of the stolen vehicle. Officers set up on Interstate 40 and waited for the vehicle to pass,” state police said. State police conducted the stop on the vehicle and took Michael Lawrence Jones, 62, into custody. Sta...
The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration announced last week it had committed nearly $25 million to fund new correctional officers across the state, including three at the Quay County Correctional Center. The allocation will help offer the cost of new correctional officer salaries for three years. The Quay County Commission earlier this month approved a $393,750 grant agreement with the fund. Jail administrator Johnny Reid said the facility has filled 16 of 18 positions, though county manager Daniel Zamora said the grant may...
Tucumcari’s Alex Bueno De La O finished runner-up Saturday in the Clovis Invitational boys cross-country meet at Ned Houk Park. The Rattlers finished third overall in the team standings. Bueno De La O, a senior, finished the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 59.96 seconds — only about 30 seconds behind his state-meet time last year. That was well behind, however, overall winner Sammy Fuentes, a senior from Clovis, who finished almost 90 seconds faster. Tucumcari coach Tim Clark said Bueno De La O actually finished third, but a Lovington runner...
The Logan High School football team began its first season in the six-man format with a 41-0 non-district victory Friday at Magdalena. Kickoff was delayed for about 90 minutes because of lightning. Statistics weren’t available, but Logan coach Dwayne Roberts said Aydin Kotara, Stratton Schoonover, Haden Judd and Mason Wallin each scored touchdowns for the Longhorns. Roberts said another three touchdowns of over 80 yards were called back due to penalties. “We looked like a team that’s just starting six-man football, but the more the game got g...
Opioid overdoses can be fatal in minutes, so it is important to act quickly and know how to use Narcan, a life-saving nasal spray that can reverse their effects. The Quay County Health Council is offering three free training sessions for the overdose medication on Sept. 5 at noon, 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the Great Room at Mesalands Community College. The trainings each will last about an hour and include how to identify an opioid overdose, laws that protect people trying to save a life, how to use Narcan and follow-up care of an overdose...
La Casa Verde plant nursery and produce market in Tucumcari has been put on the market, though one of the co-owners filed a civil complaint to potentially block the sale. David White, majority owner of La Casa Verde, on Aug. 2 listed the property at 724 E. Main St. on Trousdale Real Estate for $165,000. The minority owner, Steve Farmer, three days later filed a civil complaint in Quay County court, stating White is unable to comply with the terms of his contract with the property and requests...
Tucumcari High School boasts a full boys squad — including two top-flight runners — as it begins its cross-country season on Friday. The Rattlers begin the season at the Clovis Invitational at Ned Houk Memorial Park at 3 p.m. Friday. The boys team is led by senior Alex Bueno de la O, who qualified for the state meet last year and remains a dedicated long-distance runner, THS coach Tim Clark said. “I’m looking for big things from him if he stays healthy,” Clark said. “Now he has a running partner who pushes him.” That would be junior Fernan...
As National Preparedness Month begins in September, Quay County’s emergency manager urges residents to take proactive steps to ensure they are ready for emergencies. Bill Kardokus, the county’s emergency manager, stressed raising awareness and encouraging action. “Preparedness isn’t just about reacting to emergencies; it’s about being ready before they happen,” Kardokus said in a news release. “Having a plan in place can make all the difference when minutes matter.” Kardokus said residents should sign up for Nixle, a service that provides c...
C. Renee Hayoz, District 4 commissioner of Tucumcari, resigned after she applied for — and won — the assistant city manager position. Hayoz, who had been commissioner since November, submitted her letter of resignation on July 25 after the commission’s previous regular meeting. The commission late last year appointed Hayoz to fill the rest of Christopher Arias’ term through 2025. Arias was elected to a four-year term in 2021, but he resigned for personal reasons in September 2023. In a phone interview, Hayoz said she stepped down as commissione...