Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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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 discussion of whether the Tucumcari City Commission should adopt a code of conduct according to guidelines of new state legislation Thursday turned on whether parts of the code would stifle dissent. At a public work session before Thursday’s regular commission meeting, City Manager Britt Lusk showed commissioners a preliminary draft of a code-of-conduct ordinance, using material gleaned from similar codes adopted in Hobbs, Alamogordo, Silver City and Roosevelt County, as well as from New Mexico’s Government Conduct Act. District 1 Com...
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...
Quay County Crimestoppers and Tucumcari police on Friday announced they are on the lookout for four crime suspects in the area. Crime Stoppers stated it is offering an award of up to $1,000 for information leading to each suspect’s arrest. • Phillip Holmes Jr. is being sought for extreme animal cruelty and possession of a controlled substance. Holmes has an active warrant for his arrest to failing to appear in court on both charges. • Dyllan Robinson is being sought for failure to pay fines for concealing identity. • Amanda Garcia is being s...
• Saturday — Third annual Crappie Tournament. Sign up until Friday at Johnson’s Bait & Tackle in Conchas. Entry fee is $25. For more information, call JJ at (575) 403-5015, Jonathan at (575) 403-6407 or Diane at (575) 781-9240. Conchas Dam. • April 26 — Chuck Wagon Cook Off. Enjoy an authentic chuck wagon experience with chicken-fried steak, potatoes, beans, biscuits and fresh apple cider. For more information, call Bucky Stone at (575) 403-7680. Ute Lake State Park, Logan. • April 26-27 — Ladies Conference. Father’s Forge church is hosting thi...
Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Ham and egg biscuit sandwich, cereal choice with cinnamon goldfish graham cracker, fruit, juice, milk; Lunch: Chicken tacos with 6-inch whole-grain tortilla, ham and cheese wrap, pinto beans, shredded cheddar cheese, shredded lettuce, fresh tomato, salsa, fruit, milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Cinni mini, ultimate breakfast round, fruit, juice, milk; Lunch: Cheeseburger, rancho potato wedges, romaine lettuce, fresh tomato slice, pickle slices, fruit, milk. Monday — Breakfast: Blueberry muffin with string che...
On this date ... 1969: Workers were busy leveling the ground to build a new 64-unit rent-supplement apartment project in Tucumcari called Quay Apartments. The development received the endorsement of the Federal Housing Administration. • New Mexico fruit growers braced for below-freezing temperatures and the possibility of crop damage. The U.S. Weather Bureau forecast overnight lows in the mid-20s in the San Juan Valley, middle Rio Grande area and Espanola Valley. • Big O Tires store celebrated its grand opening today on West Gaynell Avenue (ak...
An informed observer could have spotted this showdown a mile away. Democrats took the New Mexico House of Representatives and the Governor’s Office, bolstering the majority they already had in the state Senate. As one mass shooting after another dominated the news, Democrats rolled out gun control measures, ultimately passing a measure that requires background checks for nearly all gun buys. In response, at least 26 New Mexico counties passed “Second Amendment sanctuary” ordinances. A number of sheriffs declared they flat-out wouldn’t enforce t...
From what I’ve seen, I really don’t like Julian Assange. He is reputedly as narcissistic as they come and apparently lived somewhat piggishly as a citizen of Ecuador in London to escape sexual assault charges in Sweden, which, I understand, have been dropped. The Ecuadoran embassy was ready to kick him out because he was a sloppy cat owner and wouldn’t fix the toilet. In the end, the Ecuadorans got so fed up with him for these and other reasons, they let London police carry him off last week so he could face charges in the U.S. Offic...
Tom Udall’s announcement that he won’t seek another term as U.S. senator really brought out the politics in New Mexico. Already, two Democrats have announced they’ll seek to replace Udall, and there’s plenty of speculation about others interested in vying for the crown jewel of statewide office. Let’s consider only a few. First to announce was U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján, who has come a long way in the 10 years he’s been the House. I remember being wholly unimpressed that first time he ran in 2008, when his father, the late New Mexico Speaker of t...
Tucumcari's Seth Martinez won another title in the 110-meter high hurdles race during the 14-team George Love Relays Friday in Portales. Martinez, a two-time state champion, finished the race in 15.8 seconds. The senior, however, declined to compete that day in the 300-meter hurdles. Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson said Martinez was “a little sore.” Gerardo Villa-Vargas finished second in the 400-meter dash for the Rattlers in a time of 0:52.15. Ethan Culliver of Clovis nipped him by four-hundredths of a second. Tucumcari's 400-meter and 800...
Jaxon Arguello of the Tucumcari boys golf team recently captured the first of three legs needed to individually qualify for the state tournament. Arguello, a senior, shot a 78 on the par-72 Links course April 8 during the two-day Leroy Gooch Tournament in Ruidoso. The qualifying score was 80. It was the Rattlers’ first leg – team or individual – this season. Other individual Tucumcari scores on that day were Isaac Arias 85, Malachi Anaya 88, Jeremiah Cordova 93 and Andrew Sandoval 112. The top score of the day was Jeremiah Avery of Socor...
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...
Five other students at Tucumcari school district recently advanced to national finals from the Family, Career and Community Leaders of America state competition in Albuquerque. High-school students Natalie Hayes and Kelli Lamm and middle-schoolers Sariah Mardo, Lacey Galvan and Alexandra Rosas at state competition each qualified for FCCLA nationals in Anaheim, California, on June 30 to July 4. Hayes received a gold-medal score and second place in Nutrition and Wellness. Lamm received a silver-medal score and finished first in Fashion...
Rural Bookmobile East, based in Tucumcari, will stop at a variety of rural communities in and near Quay County through June. The state library operates three bookmobiles in New Mexico that target library and information services to people in underserved and rural communities. Each bookmobile carries up to 4,000 volumes and makes a monthly route of regularly scheduled stops. Here are the Quay County and area stops: • Grady School: 10 to 11:30 a.m., May 13 and June 10 • Grady Post Office: 11:35 a.m. to noon, May 13 and June 10 • Nara Visa Post...
San Jon and Tucumcari each recently were named a 2018 Tree City USA by the Arbor Day Foundation in honor of its commitment to effective urban forest management. San Jon (population 206) is the smallest town in New Mexico to receive the designation. The towns received the Tree City USA recognition by meeting the program’s four requirements: a tree board or department, a tree-care ordinance, an annual community forestry budget of at least $2 per capita and an Arbor Day observance and proclamation. According to the Arbor Day Foundation, trees h...
The village of Logan will be conducting a special, mail-in ballot election June 4. Each registered voter in Logan village limits will receive a ballot by mail on or about May 7. A voter or potential voter needs to make sure his or her voter registration is in order so the ballot can be mailed to the proper address. Anyone who resides in village boundaries may update, register and view his or her voting record online at NMVote.org or drop by the Quay County Clerk’s Office at 300 S. Third St., Tucumcari, from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p...
Mesalands Community College recently held a spring formal induction ceremony for students in the Beta Eta Omega Chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) International Honor Society. PTK is based on academic achievement and offers personal development through scholarship, service, fellowship and leadership. Each candidate for membership in PTK must have completed 12 credit hours that leads to a declared major with a grade-point average of a 3.5 on a 4.0 scale, enrolled in six credit hours and adhere...
This was to be my April 3 article, but I didn’t have all the necessary information to submit it before that issue’s deadline. So here it is now. March 1 was a sunny 77 degrees at Tucumcari, and March 2 also was nice. But, March 3 and 4 didn’t get over 30, with lows around 10 and snow. March 31 was 65 degrees, immediately preceded by 50 and followed by mid-70s. So, what happened? Did March come in like a lamb with mild weather or like a lion with sunny weather as opposed to the next few days, which were either white like a lamb or harsh like...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Communications Center from April 8 to April 14: Monday • 10:33 a.m.: Domestic disturbance at Eighth Street and Hancock Avenue, Tucumcari. • 12:36 p.m.: Threat in 700 block of West Sunset Avenue, Tucumcari. • 3:41 p.m.: Fire at end of Dump Road and Highway 104, Tucumcari. 4:08 p.m.: Illegal dumping at Coronado Park, Tucumcari. • 4:33 p.m.: Fight with weapon involved at Monroe Street and Hines Avenue, Tucumcari. • 5:07 p.m.: Theft at Tucumcari Memorial Park, Tucumcari. • 5:48 p.m.: Criminal da...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from April 8 to April 14: • Shirley Aragon, 58, Tucumcari, failure to comply with specific requirements. • Caroline Gay Bailey, 51, San Jon, criminal trespass (posted). • Erik John Davis, 35, Albuquerque, disorderly conduct. • Bonifacio Estevan Ebell, 67, Roy, failure to appear on misdemeanor charge. • Nickolas James Jasper, 41, Tucumcari, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. • Angela Lopez, 37, Tucumcari, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. • Mariah Meier, 27, Cl...