Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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SAN JON — It’s footwear worthy for King Kong if he’d been a Jimmy Buffett fan. Along the main drag of Route 66 in this eastern Quay County village sits a 40-foot-long behemoth under construction that aims to lay claim as the world’s largest flip-flop. It’s the brainchild of Jumah Culhane and wife Caryn Grzegorek, who in a few weeks will open a flip-flop-themed gift shop called Fun-Key Junk Emporium at the site of a long-closed gas station. Jumah said in a phone interview he and his wife, last ba...
A District 2 representative for Tucumcari City Commission seeking a second term faces a significantly younger opponent in the Nov. 7 election. Incumbent City Commissioner Paul Villanueva, 53, who is disabled but once worked for the New Mexico Department of Transportation, is being challenged by Jonathan Brito, 32, an administrative assistant for a certified public accounting firm in Tucumcari. Early voting begins Oct. 10 at the Quay County Courthouse. District 2 encompasses much of the...
Trustees for Mesalands Community College delayed until at least November the approval of $54,800 in leases with the college’s foundation until the college’s financial condition could be clarified. The board of trustees had placed approval of the leases with the foundation on the board’s agenda for its Sept. 26 meeting. The annual leases included the Alco building for $10,000, an Interstate 40 property for the radio tower for $4,000, EDC property and equine center for $31,500, property at 924 W. Route 66 for $4,000, a utility trailer for $500...
Tucumcari District 1 Commissioner Ralph Moya, who also is the city’s mayor, faces three opponents standing in his way for his re-election bid in the Nov. 7 election. Moya, 72, a semi-retired mental health counselor, is seeking a third consecutive term. He also served on the city commission from 1980 to 1994. Moya’s challengers are: — Maria Carmen Gonzalez, 75, a city code enforcement officer; — Jerry Lopez, 41, who works for a janitorial services firm and is a current member of the Tucumca...
Is libertarian political philosophy compatible with Christian faith? There are evangelical leaders who would say it is not. These tend to be cheerleaders for one party in our current system. I’m jaded enough to believe the real danger they see is that a Libertarian Party candidate might siphon votes from their favorite lesser-of-two-evils. In fact, I’m convinced that libertarian economic philosophy is the only one advocated in the Bible. It rises directly from its pages. Outrageous, you say? Here are three ways the Bible may be pushing you in...
I had a Charlie (Broz) moment this past week; a few of them actually. I am a mad scientist baker. I see new photos and I take them as personal challenges. Most times, that works out just fine. Not the same with cooking. A few days ago, I decided to try a new Mediterranean chicken dish. It was sort of a jacked-up cacciatore thing with some fancy spices. The photo was beautiful. I thought this was something I could make without setting the oven on fire. I mostly followed the recipe and was rather surprised it came out so well. Without skipping a...
- Saturday — Quay County on the Move Fun Run/Walk. This free event by the Quay County Health Council includes a new 3.1-mile course, a 1.5-mile course for seniors and new walkers and a short course for the mobility impaired near Rattler Gymnasium. Organizers will offer a T-shirt to all finishers by late October and snacks. Register at Kvols Park at Route 66 and Sixth Street from 7:15 to 7:45 a.m. The running and walking event begins at 8 a.m. sharp. Participants in the mobility impaired course can enter it between 8:15 and 8:45 a.m. All partici...
20: Tucumcari Police were investigating several recent crimes. A woman on North Seventh Street asked police to check on a blue car that had been parked for hours in front of her home. It turned out it had been stolen from Flagstaff, Arizona, and was registered to a woman in Las Vegas, New Mexico. A Tucumcari man reported a .32-caliber revolver was stolen from his car when it was parked by a local bar. A woman called to report what she thought was a grass fire near Tucumcari Mountain. It turned out to be a Jeep stolen from the T-4 Cattle Co....
Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Green Frito pie, ham and cheese sandwich, garden side salad, chef salad, pinto beans, pineapple tidbits, honeydew melon, 1%, skim, strawberry skim or chocolate skim milk. Thursday — Meatball sub, Cobb salad, seasoned carrots, turkey with cheese wrap, french fries, diced peaches, fresh pear, 1%, skim, strawberry skim or chocolate skim milk. Monday — No information available. Tuesday — No information available. Tucumcari Senior Center Wednesday – Pork loin with gravy, cabbage, kidney beans, cornbread with margarine...
Sweats and a hoodie on the U.S. Senate floor? Well, why not? Why not, I mean, a dress code for the U.S. Senate appropriate to the present habits and pastimes of the, ahem, world’s greatest deliberative body? We know, I assume, how the Senate’s Democratic majority leader, Charles Schumer, put the matter the other day. He instructed the sergeant-at-arms to cease enforcing an unwritten rule prescribing business dress on the Senate floor — suits, neckties and all that stuff. And dresses or pantsuits for women members. “Senators are able to choose...
Those of us who work in academia understand that academic freedom represents the cornerstone of successful colleges and universities. It epitomizes the right of freedom to teach, discuss, engage in research and freely publish your findings. It also means the ability to dictate one’s own teaching and scholarship agenda, the security of academic positions and shared governance to ensure independence. Despite such facts, the mission of academic freedom is under severe attack from varied quarters, resulting in ominous and potentially dangerous t...
From the first dumb question to the abrupt ending that caught everyone by surprise, the GOP presidential primary debate produced by the Fox Business channel was a total disaster. I know. I was there Wednesday night – in Row 5 of the Air Force One pavilion in the Ronald Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif. At the beginning of the debate it was a special treat to see and hear the praise that the Fox people bestowed on my father, his historic accomplishments and his strong and personable brand of conservatism. But from then on it was all downhill...
A Tucumcari woman was arrested and jailed after being charged with a felony count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and misdemeanor assault on a school employee. Crystal McKinney, 36, was detained and booked into the Quay County Detention Center after an incident last week at Tucumcari Middle School, according to online court documents. The delinquency count is a fourth-degree felony that can result in 18 months in prison and a $5,000 fine. According to an affidavit filed by Tucumcari Police Cpl. Matthew Lopez, police were called...
Tucumcari’s Kyla Lopez made only one kill during her team’s match against Logan, but it was big. The sophomore’s spike into the back corner of Logan’s defense secured the Lady Rattlers’ 25-18, 25-19, 14-25, 25-21 non-district victory Saturday, their first over the Lady Longhorns since 2016. Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez said she remembered that last win against Logan well, as it was during her first season of guiding the Lady Rattlers. “We beat them during our tournament here, and we beat the...
Logan scored three straight touchdowns in the second half to secure a 44-20 district victory Friday at Clayton in eight-man football action. The Longhorns, playing in their district opener, led 22-12 at halftime after allowing a Yellowjackets touchdown late in the second quarter. Logan’s surge in the second half gave it a 44-12 advantage midway through the fourth quarter. Brock Burns threw touchdown passes of 35 and 10 yards for the Longhorns. Izaiah Kneitz scored three rushing TDs for Logan, and Aydin Kotara scored two touchdowns. The L...
The Rattlers snagged their first district victory since 2017, but not without first making hearts flutter on the sideline and bleachers. Kamren Apodaca caught a 2-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nick Romero with two seconds left to give Tucumcari a 12-7 comeback victory Friday night over Ruidoso at Rattler Stadium. The triumph in Tucumcari’s district opener was its first district win since a 27-0 decision over Clayton on Oct. 20, 2017. Since then, Clayton has been moved to another district...
Alex Bueno De La O finished as the top individual runner for Tucumcari at the 22-team Ruidoso Cross-Country Invitational on Friday, placing 26th overall in the varsity boys race. The junior finished the 5,000-meter footrace at Ruidoso High School in 20 minutes, 20.6 seconds. Other boys running for Tucumcari were Brayan Carreon Reyes (66th, 23:43.88), Julian Flores (78th, 24:52.47) and Paxton Smith (89th, 27:42.8). The Rattlers didn’t have enough runners to log a team score. Ethan Castellanos of Lovington finished as the top runner in the r...
ENDEE — TravelCenters of America, the largest publicly traded truck stop company in the United States, soon will buy the family-owned Russell’s Truck & Travel Center along Interstate 40, though it will keep the Russell’s name for a few years. Mark Russell, director of operations for Russell’s, said in a phone interview last week the deal officially will close on Oct. 11. He declined to disclose the purchase price. Russell’s sold its other travel center near Springer to TA in May, Russell s...
The Sustainable Economy Advisory Council met last week at Mesalands Community College at the North American Wind Research and Training Center to talk about the future of wind energy in the state. The council was established in 2021 by New Mexico House Senate Bill 112, which mandates the state’s Economic Development Department to develop a strategic plan to diversify New Mexico’s economy beyond dependence on fossil fuels. The bill also established an inter-agency task force, the Sustainable Economy Task Force and the council to guide the develop...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Sept. 25 to Oct. 1: Monday - 2:23 a.m.: Domestic disturbance in 700 block of West Sunset Avenue, Tucumcari. - 3:31 a.m.: Threat in 700 block of West Sunset Avenue, Tucumcari. - 7:09 a.m.: Arrest warrant in 300 block of South Third Street, Tucumcari. - 9:12 a.m.: Domestic disturbance in 400 block of East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. - 9:44 a.m.: Civil dispute in 1400 block of South Monroe Street, Tucumcari. - 9:57 a.m.: Disturbance in 1300 block of...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Sept. 26 to Sept. 28: — Anthony Ray Sandoval, 53, Tucumcari, breaking and entering, battery against a household member, battery and use of telephone to terrify, intimidate, threaten, harass, annoy or offend. — Crystal McKinney, 36, Tucumcari, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and assault upon a school employee (battery). — Albert Joe Garcia, 35, Tucumcari, contempt of court. These individuals were released from the Quay County Detention Center from Sept. 26 to Se...