Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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The city of Tucumcari faces a deficit of $556,205 for the fiscal year that begins July 1 and ends June 30, 2022, without some serious budget cuts, City Manager Mark Martinez warned city commissioners at a public work session Thursday afternoon. “The budget is not looking real great,” Martinez said, “but we have to try to get as close to a zero budget as possible.” City finance director Rachelle Arias said the deficit is in the city’s general fund, financed mostly through property and gross receipts taxes, and the funds that receive money fro...
LOGAN – A severe storm Saturday afternoon caused scattered reports of property damage and widespread flooding on roads and city streets around the village. No injuries were reported. Logan Police Chief Rodney Paris said the storm hit about 4:30 p.m. He said at the scene about an hour later he’d received about a half-dozen reports of property damage, including a metal roof blown onto Lake Road, from straight-line winds. Paris said the northeast side of Logan received up to four inches of pea...
Tucumcari Police Chief David Lathrom has resigned his position, effective July 7. City Manager Mark Martinez confirmed the resignation on Friday. "We appreciate his service and wish him the best in his future endeavors," Martinez said. Attempts to reach Lathrom for comment this week were not successful. Lathrom was hired as police chief in February 2017, following the retirement of Jason Braziel in December 2016. Braziel had served seven years as the city's police chief. Lathrom brought 30...
New Mexico’s governor has tapped Tucumcari Municipal Judge Noreen Hendrickson as Quay County’s next magistrate judge and likely will take office sometime next month. Reached by phone Wednesday night, Hendrickson confirmed she received a congratulatory phone call and email about her appointment Tuesday from an aide to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham. Hendrickson said she will undergo 80 hours of training before she becomes magistrate judge, though she said she didn’t have an exact timetable of when that would occur. “I’m super-excited to serve Quay...
New Mexico’s COVID-19 restrictions will be lifted July 1 after the governor on Friday apparently deemed the state close enough to its 60% goal of full vaccination against the disease. The state’s online vaccination dashboard reported 59.4% of eligible residents had been fully vaccinated against coronavirus Friday. “As of July 1, all limitations on mass gatherings will be gone. Businesses, large events and organizations may operate at 100% of maximum capacity, whether indoor or outdoor,” Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham stated in a news release. Tucu...
The New Mexico Department of Health on Friday identified Quay County’s 11th death from COVID-19 since the pandemic began last spring. The agency identified the death as a woman in her 70s who had been hospitalized. That death occurred more than 30 days ago. The DOH has been reporting COVID-related deaths that occurred weeks ago because some death certificates were delayed due to insufficient information. State health officials reported one confirmed case of coronavirus Friday in the county, bringing the overall total to 534 since the p...
The new president at Mesalands Community College spent much of last week’s regular board of trustees meeting giving a detailed, 14-page report on his activities since May 18 — to the appreciation of several board members. College President Gregory Todd Busch, who took office May 1, indicated during the June 15 meeting that such reports would be a regular occurrence because he wanted to foster “transparency.” Busch also gave a similarly detailed report during his first regular meeting with the board in May. Later in the meeting, board member...
My, how times are changing! Actually, they’re not, because there’s nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9). Kids will still be kids, but the mischief I got into seems nothing compared to what my grandson does. There’re a lot more opportunities for naughtiness now than when I was young. Two things haven’t changed, though, regarding mischief or naughtiness (let’s call that for what it is — sin). First, sin is usually fun, often in a warped way. That is, we sin seeking pleasure, but the kind we shouldn’t desire (Hebrews 11:24-26, 13-16; John...
On this date ... 1971: Ragubhir Singh, who is touring the world by bicycle to promote world peace, stopped in Tucumcari to repair a flat tire. He started his trek from his native New Delhi in October 1968 and anticipates completing his journey in April 1974. So far, he said he has traveled 47,900 miles. Singh told the newspaper reporter: “If you want to save a village, you may have to sacrifice the rights of one family. Why not apply this to all nations in the world in setting up a world government? Why should loyalty stop with one’s nat...
Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Saturday — St. Anne’s Parish Summer Bazaar. This event will feature food and shopping of all types. It will offer breakfast burritos from 8 to 11 a.m. and enchilada plates from noon to 2 p.m. at Hammond Hall. Vendors will set up in St. Anne’s schoolyard at 306 W. High St. from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Anyone with questions should call Emily at (575) 403-8726. • July 16 — Fired Up Friday. The Quay County Health Council will host a chalk art contest. Food trucks will operated from 11 a.m...
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 or the Logan facility at 487-2287 for more information. Tucumcari Senior Center Wednesday — Tamale, pinto beans, tortilla, mandarin oranges. Thursday — Baked fish, tater tots, cabbage, dinner roll and margarine, peaches. Friday — Red chile beef and potato, pinto beans, flour tortilla, cookie. Monday — Stuffed bell pepper, baked...
These Quay County students graduated from Eastern New Mexico University this spring: • Matthew Garcia of Tucumcari • Marshall Graham of Logan • Rebecca Darrup of Tucumcari • Jesse Sanchez of Logan • April Stone of San Jon • Chase Earle of Nara Visa An in-person commencement ceremony was held at Greyhound Stadium in Portales on May 15....
The New Mexico Public Education Department last week allocated $15 million in targeted aid to 108 New Mexico schools — including four in Quay County — based on the new Family Income Index designed to fight concentrated poverty in schools. Here are the county’s public schools and the aid they will receive, based on the district’s enrollment and its family income index: • Tucumcari, $283,736; • Logan, $39,038; • San Jon, $38,085; • House, $20,000. The money must be used for reading and math interventions; hiring school counselors and social work...
Pressed by NBC’s Lester Holt earlier this month about why she hasn’t visited the U.S.-Mexico border to personally witness the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the unforgiving desert, Vice President Kamala Harris tried to make light of a deadly serious situation. “I haven’t been to Europe. I don’t understand the point you’re making,” Harris quipped, her words falling as flat as a TV sitcom missing its laugh track. Holt’s question seemed pretty straightforward: Why hasn’t Harris, who was tapped by President Joe Biden in March to lead efforts to s...
I don’t want to discuss the Biden-Putin talks of last week or critical race theory. I know only enough about Biden-Putin to venture that their chess game will continue, that it won’t be friendly and the stakes are high. I know too little about critical race theory, which is very complex and sensitive, to say anything. Too many who know too little have said too much about it already. On July 1, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has declared, New Mexico will open up again. This is Lujan Grisham, among the most cautious of her peers on COVID-19 mat...
Joe Biden isn’t known for his austerity, except when it comes to the nation’s defense. As part of his welcome emphasis on competition with China, the president cajoled reluctant European countries at the G-7 summit into releasing a statement critical of China, on top of the announcement of an infrastructure program meant to counter China’s Belt and Road Initiative. That’s all fine as far as it goes, but a glaring omission from Biden’s campaign is a defense budget that reflects the growing challenge from Beijing. Indeed, Biden justifies...
Tucumcari junior Khobie Salvador finished runner-up in the state shot put competition, becoming the highest-placing THS athlete during Saturday's Class 3A Track and Field Championships. Salvador missed a state title by just a few inches. He threw the shot 43 feet, 9 1/2 inches during his best effort at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex in Albuquerque. Navarro Burnside of Crownpoint bested him with a throw of 44 feet, 1 inch for the first-place medal. Salvador also finished sixth in the discus throw w...
ALBUQUERQUE - The Logan girls track team captured its second consecutive state title and the Longhorns boys team finished a close runner-up during the Class 1A track and field state championships Thursday at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex. The Lady Longhorns scored 79 points, prevailing over area rival and runner-up Melrose's 59 points. Gateway Christian finished third with 58. San Jon earned two points among the 23 girls teams that figured in the scoring. Logan's team title was fueled by strong...
Wednesday was Senior Day for the Tucumcari girls softball team during their season finale, but it wasn't just this year's seniors who were honored. Seven seniors from the 2020 squad, which didn't even get a chance to play because the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the spring sports season, were honored, as well. Seven members from the 2020 team were honored with flowers and a small jar of soil from the batter's box of their home field, which soon will be redeveloped as part of a $3 million bond...
Tucumcari’s baseball team ended its season at home Thursday with a 24-0 district loss against highly regarded Sandia Prep. The Sundevils seized control with 10 runs in the first inning and added another 10 in the fifth and final inning. Overall, Sandia Prep banged out 15 hits and drew 11 walks. The Rattlers (0-15) managed just two hits, including a double by Johnathan Blea. Sandia Prep’s Jacob Nicholson and Gus Walker combined for 12 strikeouts and one walk allowed. Luiso Molinas and Blea shared much of the pitching duties for Tucumcari. Tuc...
Logan captured the No. 1 seed in this week’s Class 1A baseball state championship and has a chance to play for the title Thursday at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Logan (13-1) was scheduled to host fourth-seeded Magdalena (11-5) at 11 a.m. Tuesday in a semifinal matchup. (Game results were after the Quay County Sun’s print deadline; results will be reported in the next edition.) The winner will play the victor of the other semifinal — second-seeded Gateway Christian (11-4) versus third-seeded Mesilla Valley Christian (3-4). Logan...
Several athletes with the Mesalands Community College rodeo team had respectable results during the National College Finals Rodeo last week in Casper, Wyoming. Dylan Hill of the Mesalands finished in the top eight of the team roping competition of the third go-round Thursday. Hill and his roping partner logged a time of 7.7 seconds. Marcus Theriot and Cole Curry of East Mississippi Community College won the go-round with a time of 4.7 seconds. Preston Ogle, also of Mesalands, scored a 79.0 during the second go-round of saddle bronc riding,...
A Tucumcari man remains jailed this week on 19 charges — including six felonies — after being accused of speeding dangerously on city streets while being pursed by police while two adults and three children were in his vehicle. Marcus Anthony Pacheco, 29, was charged June 14 with three counts of negligent child abuse (no death or great bodily harm), two counts of false imprisonment, one count of aggravated fleeing of a law enforcement officer, one count of aggravated battery against a household member, one count of driving under the inf...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from June 15 to June 20: • Racheal Renee Gillentine, 44, Belen, contempt of court. • Fatima Rivas, 44, Tucumcari, two counts of contempt of court. • Dawn Robinson, 44, San Jon, driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug (.04 or above) and unlawful taking of a motor vehicle (first offense). • Mary Montano, 66, Tucumcari, felony possession of a controlled substance (narcotic drug), possession of drug paraphernalia and disorderly conduct. • Jonathan...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from June 14 to June 20: Monday • 4:46 a.m.: Accident with injuries at U.S. 54 and Quay Road AI, Tucumcari. • 7:37 a.m.: Accident in 2600 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. • 8:15 a.m.: Trespassing in 800 block of West Hancock Avenue, Tucumcari. • 11:06 a.m.: Fraud in 6300 block of Sunrise Lane, Tucumcari. • 12:03 p.m.: Domestic disturbance in 1900 block of South Mountain Road, Tucumcari. • 1:40 p.m.: Child custody problem in 6500 block of Quay Road A...