Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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The state’s Department of Health last week reported the 12th death from coronavirus in Quay County as the region continued to see a high caseload of the pathogen. The latest death in the county, reported Wednesday, was a man in his 90s who was hospitalized. The DOH typically does not identify COVID-19 fatalities. It was the first coronavirus death in the county since June 18. The DOH on Friday also reported the first COVID-19 death in neighboring Harding County. According to the agency, the fatality that occurred more than 30 days ago was a hos...
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last week reimposed an indoor mask mandate in New Mexico, and one key motivation for that move was made clear during a videoconference meeting one day later with school and state officials - to keep public schools open for in-person classes. The governor also announced during a briefing Aug. 17 the state was requiring vaccinations or weekly negative COVID-19 tests for all workers in hospitals, congregate care facilities, schools and state prisons. The order, which...
A member of the Mesalands Community College board of trustees said he is considering not running for election in November if students, staff members and faculty are required by the state to be vaccinated against the coronavirus. College President Gregg Busch said in the board’s Aug. 17 meeting that Mesalands was one of only two or three higher-education institutions in New Mexico that is not requiring vaccinations. Busch said pressure is growing for Mesalands to impose such a requirement and that it seemed likely the state’s Higher Edu...
The Quay County Commission held a public hearing Monday to discuss its infrastructure capital improvement plan for the next four fiscal years that included a new request from the Quay County Family Health Center’s administrator to pave the clinic’s parking lot. The infrastructure plan essentially exists as a prioritized wish list for the county when the New Mexico Legislature allocates capital outlay funds during its annual January session. The commission likely will approve a finalized plan during its next meeting on Sept. 13. The hig...
I hope I’m proven wrong, but I think the chances of another lock-down coming in the fall are right around 118%. I sincerely hope we’ve had all the Coronavirus deaths we’re going to have, and that this all just goes away. The warnings we’re hearing, though, make me think that’s unlikely. It’s a good time, if we haven’t done it already, to think through tough issues of individual rights vs. public safety; authority and power; and, the role of governments, churches, and families as they relate t...
A Quay County judge recently denied a motion by prosecutors to keep a Logan man accused of stabbing a woman in the eye with a fork behind bars until his case is adjudicated. Marcus W. Hill, 39, of Logan, is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon against a household member, abuse of a child (no death or great bodily harm) and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. The aggravated battery and child abuse counts are third-degree felonies that can lead to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine. According to online court records,...
On this date ... 1971: The annual Pinata Festival in Tucumcari will include an appearance of Rewa Colette Walsh, who is Miss Teenage America 1971. She will present a 10- to 15-minute talent program and will be present for the crowning of the Pinata Queen. Walsh is a 17-year-old senior at Magnolia High School in Anaheim, California. Though an American citizen, she was born in Sydney, Australia, and her first name means “good luck” in the aboriginal language. • Five young ladies were named to the Rattlers cheerleading squad: junior Kim Evett...
Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Sept. 17 — Fired Up Friday. An outdoor concert is scheduled. Food trucks will operate from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. or until the food runs out. Tucumcari Historic Railroad Plaza at Second and Main streets. • Oct. 23 — 44th annual Boo Bash. The Altrusa International of Tucumcari’s fundraiser will be broadcast live on Facebook at 3 p.m., with a top prize of $15,000 in cash. Ticket sales benefit Altrusa community projects. Tickets, which cost $100, are available from Altrusa members,...
The Tucumcari Senior Center and Logan Senior Center also offer grab-and-go meals to those who qualify. Those interested should call the Tucumcari facility at 461-2307 or the Logan facility at 487-2287 for more information. Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: French toast sticks with syrup cup, cinnamon graham cracker, ultimate breakfast round, Cocoa Puffs, fresh peach, orange juice, skim or 1% milk; Lunch: Cheeseburger, tater tots, romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes, dill pickle chip, red grapes, skim, 1% or chocolate skim milk. Thursday ...
President Joe Biden’s defense of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan was callous, self-serving and deeply unconvincing. Above all, it was beside the point. The question is no longer whether U.S. troops should have stayed. It’s how the U.S. can minimize the damage caused by this grievously bungled exit. Some of the gloating among U.S. rivals is overdone, but there’s no doubt U.S. credibility has suffered a crippling blow. Abandoning loyal Afghan allies to their fate will haunt future U.S. interventions around the world. Friends have been snubb...
It seems to be the consensus of Monday morning quarterbacks, whether Republicans or Democrats, that President Joe Biden’s decision early this year to pull out of Afghanistan before autumn was a huge blunder. The withdrawal led to a lightning-fast takeover by Aug. 16 of Kabul, Afghanistan’s capital, by the radically Muslim Taliban, a sworn U.S. enemy, as Afghanistan’s defenses evaporated like raindrops on a hot sidewalk. The Taliban’s advance was so fast, the U.S. was caught flat-footed in efforts to rescue stranded Americans or friendl...
The left is truly dumbing down America’s kids. It’s nothing new. But based on the insane education policy recently implemented by the state of Oregon, it looks like the future of America’s already awful public school system is getting worse. Last month, as the media just learned, Oregon’s Gov. Kate Brown quietly signed a bill that dropped the requirement that high schoolers had to prove they were proficient in reading, writing and math before they graduated. The bill’s supporters claim that considering math and reading as essential skills all t...
District 4 of the New Mexico Department of Transportation on Wednesday announced the completion of the interchange for Interstate 40 and U.S. 54, aka South Mountain Road, in Tucumcari, though other work in that area continues. Travis Martinez, spokesman for the agency, said the $12 million project upgraded the existing roadway with new Portland cement concrete pavement that provides additional roadway durability for the high volume of big-truck traffic in that area. The roadway also was widened from two lanes to four lanes to handle high traffi...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Aug. 16 to Aug. 22: Monday • 10:16 a.m.: Reckless driving in 32200 block of U.S. 54, Logan. • 1:40 p.m.: Arrest warrant in 100 block of East Main Street, Tucumcari. • 3:02 p.m.: Arrest warrant in 100 block of East Main Street, Tucumcari. • 3:06 p.m.: Accident in 200 block of East Estrella Avenue, Tucumcari. • 4:17 p.m.: Unattended death in 100 block of Yucca Road, Conchas Dam. • 9:01 p.m.: Domestic disturbance in 1100 block of South Adams Street, Tucumcari...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Aug. 16 to Aug. 23: • Danford Cross Jr., 36, Tucumcari, contempt of court. • Kurtis Russell Morris, 30, Tucumcari, contempt of court. • Albert Andrew Gutierrez, 41, Tucumcari, probation violation. • Gabriel Anthony Perez, 22, Tucumcari, driving while license suspended or revoked, no seat belts, no proof of insurance, expired registration plate and contempt of court. • Lucas Willis, 43, Albuquerque, contempt of court. • Mario Baudillo Armijo, 51, Tucumcari, contempt of...
The Tucumcari School Board seemed receptive to deeding over land used for the homecoming bonfire to Mesalands Community College but decided against doing so until the college was ready to proceed with constructing student housing on that tract. College President Gregg Busch said early enrollment at Mesalands had risen dramatically from a year ago and that students were taking up a wing of the Best Western Discovery Inn in Tucumcari because of the lack of student housing. Busch said it was becoming “more and more critical” for the college to...
The president of Mesalands Community College last week reported that early enrollment at the college had more than quadrupled compared to the same time last year. According to data provided by Josh McVey, vice president of public relations, a total of 42 students had been enrolled at the college on Aug. 11, 2020. On Aug. 11, 2021, that number had risen to 184 — an increase of 438%. By Aug. 12, the early enrollment number was 220, compared to 51 at the same time a year ago — an increase of 431%. Aug, 12 also was before the college’s main enrollm...
On paper, it appeared Tucumcari should have earned a relatively comfortable victory over Clayton in both teams' football opener on Friday night. Instead, the visiting Yellowjackets made more big plays during a 20-12 decision over the host Rattlers, giving Clayton's Dakota Montoya a victory in his coaching debut. Tucumcari coach Wayne Ferguson described it as a win that got away. "I think we should have won by two touchdowns," he said. The evidence made Ferguson's assessment hard to refute: • T...
Beating a typically tough and talented Melrose team is a tall order for any high-school volleyball team. Beating a Melrose team that plays almost flawlessly is nearly impossible. The Tucumcari volleyball squad found that out during an 8-25, 13-25, 8-25 season-opening loss Thursday against the defending Class 1A champion. The Lady Rattlers never led in any of the games, though they briefly rallied to a 6-6 tie in the second set. Indicative of the Lady Buffaloes' dominance was their 28 kills...