Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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Nearly 600 residents of Quay County received COVID-19 vaccines last week, mostly during mass-vaccination events in the region. Most of the vaccinations occurred Wednesday and Friday at the Tucumcari Convention Center. About 250 received a shot during two sessions Wednesday. Another 127 received a shot Friday, including nearly 70 walk-in patients, reported Quay County Family Health Center administrator C. Renee Hayoz. Others had registered for the inoculations. Hayoz said health workers turned...
Quay County vaulted into the turquoise zone - the highest achievable rank - in the state's COVID-19 risk assessments last week, which meant bars and large entertainment venues could reopen for the first time a year. One that reopened was the Tristar Inn Xpress tavern, which on Wednesday afternoon welcomed its first customers indoors since March 18, 2020. Mike Awais, owner and operator of the establishment and its adjoining motel, was asked Thursday what he felt when he heard the news Wednesday a...
In recent days, Tucumcari's historic railroad depot has been converted into a television studio and production center for the forthcoming "Bands of Enchantment" television music series that begins shooting this week. Ken C. Peterson, the show's creator and Elkhorn Entertainment's executive producer and vice president of development, on Friday showed the transformation of the depot's interior. The depot's east wing, which serves as the main performing space for music acts, was packed with...
Tucumcari police have implemented most of the recommendations from a 2017 review of the city police department’s policies and procedures, Police Chief David Lathrom told the city commission Thursday at a public work session before the commission’s regular meeting. District 1 Commissioner Ralph Moya had asked for discussion at a work session of the department’s response to the 2017 report, compiled by former New Mexico State Police Lt. Nathan Wallace. “A lot of what’s in that report, we were doing anyway,” Lathrom said. The report had faulted...
While my surname is French Canadian, my maternal side is Scotch-Irish and today, March 17, is St. Patrick’s Day. The tradition of St. Patrick’s Day goes back to the 400s AD when Patrick began evangelizing Ireland after having escaped slavery there. He’s also purported to have driven the snakes off the island, but that bit of folklore likely refers to running off all the pagans he couldn’t convert. I wrote about St. Patrick driving out evil in my article appearing in the Quay County Sun on March 16, 2016. Today’s article is about his slavery. Bo...
One phrase in new COVID-19 guidelines — “to the greatest extent possible” — is one significant signal that New Mexico education officials are loosening constraints on school districts to allow the return of in-person learning, including Tucumcari this week. Education Secretary Ryan Stewart announced last week all public schools in the state could fully reopen their campuses by April 5. The state is phasing out hybrid-learning models that combine in-person and remote learning in favor of full-time classroom teaching. Students who use remote...
On this date ... 1971: Officers with the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce discussed preparations for several conventions that would arrive in the coming weeks. The American Junior Hereford Convention, which includes a tour of the Mitchell Ranch and a barbecue and dance, was expected to bring 4,000 to 5,000 people in mid-June. Other events on tap are the National Guard Convention, Elks Convention, Jehovah’s Witness Convention and the ASCA Convention. • Workers from Broce Construction Co. poured gutters for a new, four-lane highway wes...
Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • April 16-18 — Spay and neuter clinic. A low-cost clinic to spay and neuter pets is being sponsored by Quay County Paws and Claws Animal Rescue. The cost for each surgery will be $40. Payment is due when applications are submitted. Applications are available at Best Care Pharmacy, Logan Subway, Tucumcari Subway and the shelter’s website at pawsandclawsanimalrescueofquaycounty.com. The application and payment must be received by mail by April 10 to: Paws and Claws, P.O. Box 143,...
The Tucumcari Senior Center and Logan Senior Center remain closed to the public indefinitely but will deliver meals to those who qualify. Those interested in meal deliveries should call the Tucumcari facility at 461-2307 and the Logan facility at 487-2287 for more information. Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Bagel, strawberry cream cheese, fresh strawberries, orange juice; 1% milk; Lunch: Hot dog, carrot sticks, celery sticks, fresh apple. Thursday — Breakfast: Cinni mini, fresh pear, apple juice; Lunch: Turkey and cheese san...
The Quay County Fair Board recently voted at a meeting to allow 6-, 7-, and 8-year-olds to compete in the livestock show at the fair this year. The young exhibitors will be allowed to show all species at the Aug. 11-14 event and be eligible to earn a spot at the junior livestock sale during the fair. All animals must meet tag-in and fair-entry dates. Families interested in having children in those ages compete at the fair should contact the Quay County Extension Office in Tucumcari at (575) 461-0562 for tag-in dates for each animal...
Quay County is participating in the 2021 New Mexico Community Survey that lets residents have a say about substance abuse in the area, with the chance of participants winning cash prizes. The results of the anonymous survey will help the county receive prevention services and other aid and help the community focus its effort for maximum benefit. Only residents age 18 and older who are New Mexico residents are allowed to take the survey. The survey ends April 30. With more surveys collected, a more accurate pictures of substance abuse in the...
When government fails, it’s the rare public official who says, “Oops. My fault.” That’s human nature, particularly for officials in the public eye who may have to run for office again. No one wants to be held directly responsible for letting the public down. Case in point is the recent catastrophe in Texas, when unexpected winter storms left 4 million homes without power, ruptured pipes and tainted the water supply for many. Texas’ energy grid essentially collapsed. While Texas Gov. Greg Abbott was quick to blame frozen wind turbines, the cause...
I still haven’t recovered much of my sense of smell since having COVID-19, but I find I can live with limits on the sniffer, even if I can’t fully enjoy corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick’s day today. I know I share this lingering post-COVID-19 symptom with many who have otherwise recovered from the disease. The scientific term for this condition is “anosmia,” which is pronounced “a NOSE mia.” It basically means “a nose, missing in action (mia).” There have been hundreds of thousands of words written about loss of smell, one of the most c...
Joe Biden has signed what may well end up being the biggest accomplishment of his presidency, an enormous $1.9 trillion COVID relief bill. With his other priorities likely to molder in the Senate, the spending will probably stand as a signature statement of Biden’s approach to governance — and it should be a damning one. The legislation is a misnomer; it is neither a COVID nor a relief bill. Only a tiny portion of the spending in the bill goes toward vaccinations and other priories directly related to the pandemic. Much of the rest of the spe...
One favorable thing the Rattlers could take away Saturday was one solid scoring drive. Little else went right for the Tucumcari football team during a 42-7 loss to Albuquerque Academy in what could be the Rattlers' last home game during this abbreviated season. The Chargers' passing game, led by quarterback AJ Rivera, amassed more than 300 yards and four touchdowns against the Rattlers' overmatched secondary. Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson had a bad feeling about his squad before kickoff. "I...
The Tucumcari volleyball team’s first week of district play was not ideal. The Lady Rattlers suffered losses to Dexter and New Mexico Military Institute during the opening week of their District 4 schedule last week. Tucumcari fell to 1-4 overall. Tucumcari totaled only 13 kills during its district-opening match against Dexter on March 9 at the Snake Pit, which was indicative of the Lady Rattlers’ erratic offense. Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez said her squad has to be more consistent in executing its passes, sets and hits. “We’ve got to put...
LOGAN - An injury-depleted Longhorns team proved to be no match in a 50-0 loss Friday night that showed Fort Sumner to be a probable contender for a state title in its first season of eight-man football. Logan (0-2) totaled just 21 yards of offense during a game that ended midway through the third quarter due to the mercy rule. The visiting Foxes (2-0) stormed to a 30-0 lead by the end of the first period. The Longhorns already were shorthanded before kickoff because quarterback Wyatt Wright...
The Melrose volleyball squad took a one-game lead in the district standings by defeating arch-rival and defending Class 1A champion Logan 25-18, 25-16, 25-15 on Saturday at Melrose. Logan dropped to 3-2 overall and 3-1 in the District 6 race. Melrose improved to 5-0, all district games. “We played good in spurts,” Logan coach Robert Young said, “but made way too many unforced errors at crucial times during the match.” Melrose travels to Logan for a key matchup on March 27 before postseason play begins the following week. Logan downed previou...
Logan school board members and superintendent Dennis Roch last week talked about the imminent return of almost all students to in-person classes that was announced earlier that day by the New Mexico Public Education Department. Education Secretary Ryan Stewart announced all public schools in the state could fully reopen campuses April 5 with the goal of having teachers vaccinated for COVID-19 by that time. The state is phasing out hybrid-learning models that combine in-person and remote learning in favor of full-time classroom instruction. Stud...
SAN JON — The San Jon Municipal Schools board of trustees voted last week to end the annual senior trip for students partly because of concerns of the New Mexico Legislature’s possible elimination of qualified immunity. This year’s senior trip isn’t happening because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Class of 2021’s subsequent inability to raise funds for the trip. But superintendent Janet Gladu during the board’s meeting March 8 recommended deleting the daylong senior trip permanently in favor of other Senior Week activities at the school. She...
Quay County experienced four coronavirus cases in the past week, which was an uptick from the previous week’s one case. However, the county appeared to remain on track to stay in the turquoise zone of COVID-19 risk — the best available — when assessments are announced next week. The total number of coronavirus cases in Quay County since the pandemic began one year ago stood at 425, with eight deaths, through Sunday. The breakdown of COVID-19 cases by ZIP code was 328 in Tucumcari, 60 in Logan, 10 in House, nine in McAlister, eight in San Jon,...
Two House High School students were honored Saturday for placing at the New Mexico Scholastic Press Association’s state journalism competition. Senior Evelyn Garrett took second place in the news photography competition. Gilbert Swaim, a junior, finished third in editorial writing. The March 6 competition was held virtually this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. More than 90 student journalists from across the state participated in the competition. Participants learned where they placed during a virtual awards ceremony Saturday morning. T...
The New Mexico Department of Agriculture’s Healthy Soil Program is hosting four virtual listening sessions to gather input, encourage soil health project ideas and discuss grant application steps. Eligible Entity leaders and representatives – as well as farmers and ranchers who are members of the Eligible Entities’ communities – are invited to participate. As defined in the 2019 Healthy Soil Act, Eligible Entities include tribes, nations and pueblos; land grants and acequias; Soil and Water Conservation Districts; and New Mexico State Univers...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from March 8 to March 14: Monday • 7:45 a.m.: Vandalism in 200 block of East Center Street, Tucumcari. • 10:35 a.m.: Fraud in 4500 block of Quay Road 63, Tucumcari. • 2:46 p.m.: Trespassing at milepost 321, Interstate 40, Tucumcari. • 3:05 p.m.: Accident with injuries at milepost 337, Interstate 40, Tucumcari. • 3:12 p.m.: Brush fire in 500 block of School Extension Street, Logan. • 4:27 p.m.: Fraud in 400 block of South Second Street, Tucumcari. Tuesday • 1...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from March 8 to March 11: • Louis Engel, 37, Tucumcari, warrant from other counties or states. • Racheal Renee Gillientine, 44, Belen, contempt of court. • Zachary Hurd, 25, Tucumcari, misdemeanor possession of a controlled substance. • Ashley Nolan, 38, Tucumcari, contempt of court. • Benito Salas, 31, Albuquerque, criminal damage to property (over $1,000), breaking and entering and battery. • Laural Taylor, 64, driving under the influence of liquor (impaired; first offen...