Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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In a compromise, the Tucumcari City Commission on Monday approved giving $400,000 in executive lodgers tax funds to Tucumcari Public Schools to help pay for lighting at its ballparks redevelopment project. A few commissioners talked about giving $433,082 to cover the full estimated expense for lighting at the rebuilt high-school baseball and softball fields, which school officials hope will be ready for play this coming spring. However, city manager Paula Chacon told commissioners that work remains for the Tucumcari Convention Center,...
The president of Mesalands Community College said its main Building A on campus will be closed to students until early 2023 as a company eradicates mold contamination, with repairs to follow. Mesalands President Gregg Busch told the college’s board of directors during its regular meeting Oct. 18 a recent environmental assessment of campus buildings revealed the presence of mold or fungi “above acceptable levels” in several buildings. Busch said Buildings A, C and D and the former armory on campus showed varying levels of mold or fungi. Build...
The New Mexico Racing Commission, citing the declining health of the state’s horse-racing industry, on Thursday unanimously denied a license application from Coronado Partners to build a racetrack and casino on Tucumcari’s east side. The attorney and one of the principals for Coronado Partners said he would appeal the decision to the same district judge who ordered the commission to make a decision on the application. The commissioners’ 4-0 action followed a closed executive session of about an hour to discuss the application for the sixth and...
We’re now about mid-autumn, which is also called fall. Autumn is from the Latin word “autumnus,” which likely came from a pre-Latin word meaning “increasing,” possibly referring to the typical lengthening of the dark period due to shortening days. Fall, on the other hand, is likely a shortened version of “fall of the leaves,” which needs no explanation. “Spring” also is easy, being derived from “springing time,” which refers to plants popping out of the ground in areas with any spring precipitation at all and temperatures warm enough for germi...
The Tucumcari Public Schools board last week approved the first reading of a new district policy that would bar elementary-school and middle-school students from athletic or fine-arts events without the accompaniment of a parent or guardian. The board also made a minor change to the district’s bullying and harassment policy it hopes will address serial bullies. Both actions during the board’s Sept. 17 meeting came out of a previous week’s work session to discuss those issues. Assistant superintendent Dave Johnson said he borrowed the “Attendanc...
Quay County Crime Stoppers has a new tool where residents can leave tips to the organization anonymously and still receive a reward. Law enforcement and emergency entities in the county for several years have used the Nixle phone-texting system to issue alerts. Jamie Luaders, coordinator of the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center, said last week during a Quay County Crime Stoppers meeting it has been testing Nixle as a crime-tips system and feel confident enough to publicize it to the public. To submit a tip to Quay County...
Quay County’s number of confirmed coronavirus cases rose from three to six last week after a long period of low and stable numbers. Average daily case numbers and hospitalizations in New Mexico of coronavirus also increased for a third straight week, according to New Mexico Department of Health data. The COVID Act Now website kept Quay County’s risk rating for community spread of the disease at “low.” However, Quay County’s rate of new cases jumped to 72.7 cases per 100,000 people last week, compared to 18.2 the previous week. The total number...
On this date ... 1972: In a front-page editorial, the Tucumcari News endorsed Richard M. Nixon for another four years as president days before the election. “Yes, we are Democrat, as we have stated before, we have never believed in voting straight just because some convention chose a man we can’t believe in,” the editorial stated. “It is the opinion of this paper that a voter should vote as a citizen first and not because he belongs to a party, be it Democrat or Republican. … Our choice is for Richard Nixon as we feel one good term deserves...
Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Friday — Halloween History Alive Tour. This is a walking tour of downtown Tucumcari featuring new, hair-raising stories and bone-chilling accounts of the city’s past. Tickets can be purchased from Tucumcari MainStreet. • Saturday — Spook-tacular Halloween Block Party. Tucumcari MainStreet is planning a downtown block party with trick-or-treat booths, food trucks, games and more on a blocked-off section of Second Street between Main and Aber streets. Businesses, churches and organiza...
Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Sausage breakfast pizza, assorted cereal, graham crackers; Lunch: Ham and cheese sandwich, cheeseburger, french fries, baked beans, romaine lettuce, fresh tomatoes, dill pickle chip. Thursday — Breakfast: Waffles, syrup cup, assorted cereal, graham crackers; Lunch: Ham and egg chef salad, cheese pizza, pepperoni pizza, garden salad, carrot sticks, ranch dressing, jalapenos. Monday — Breakfast: Sausage breakfast pizza, assorted cereal, graham crackers; Lunch: Ham and cheese sandwich, grilled cheese sandw...
There are numerous important issues on New Mexicans’ ballots as early voting has begun. Amendment 2 has not received the same attention as Amendment 1, which relates to pre-K and early childhood spending, but voters will be asked to vote on this important issue also. Amendment 2 would, if adopted, further weaken New Mexico’s “anti-donation clause” by allowing the Legislature to “appropriate state funds for infrastructure that provides services primarily for residential use — such as internet, electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater....
It might surprise you to learn this, but I don’t like change. Well, that’s not completely accurate: I don’t like pointless change. I have tolerated uncomfortable situations simply to avoid the pain of going through a change I couldn’t see as improving anything. However, if something is broken and I can see a solution, I want to change it. This is why I try to save people from their addiction to political government and all its various manifestations, such as police, taxation, various prohibitions, and so forth. This would be a useful change....
I was disappointed to learn that filmmakers plan to resume production on “Rust,” and urge state regulators to keep a much closer eye on that set this time. I can’t imagine why anybody would want to see the film now, other than for morbid curiosity. Every time there is a scene where an actor pretends to get shot, viewers will know that a real person was shot and killed during filming. Cinematographer Halyna Hutchins was shot by the film’s star and producer, Alec Baldwin, who believed he was firing a prop gun loaded with blanks. Director Joel So...
District contender Dexter scored 33 unanswered points in the second half to turn a somewhat competitive game into a 54-6 rout of visiting Tucumcari on Friday. The Rattlers trailed just 21-6 at halftime, thanks to a 60-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Nicholas Romero to wide receiver Luis Archuleta in the second quarter. It was Tucumcari’s first touchdown since mid-September. Tucumcari coach Donnie Garcia said he had adjusted his offense to give more protection for Romero, who completed two long passes late in the game during a loss to H...
Logan fell to defeat during its regular-season finale by an 8-6 score at district foe Tatum on Friday in an unusual defensive struggle. The next day, the Longhorns (6-4) earned a sixth seed in the eight-man football playoffs and will play district rival and third-seeded Melrose (6-4) in the quarterfinals at 7 p.m. Friday at Melrose. The Buffaloes defeated the Longhorns 46-6 on Oct. 14. The winner of that game faces the winner of second-seeded Fort Sumner-House (8-0) versus seventh-seeded Clayton (5-4) in the semifinal on Nov. 4 or 5. The...
A Tucumcari senior made one heck of a varsity debut during the Lady Rattlers' 25-15, 25-7, 25-12 district victory at home last week against Dexter. Sierra Valverde came off the bench during the second set with Tucumcari nursing a 6-4 lead. She then served 18 straight times, with seven aces and no service errors, against a flustered Lady Demons squad. By the time she was lifted for a substitute with her team leading 23-5, she received a big ovation from the crowd in the Snake Pit. Valverde also...
The Tucumcari High School cross-country team competed in its final regular-season meet Thursday at Santa Rosa before it travels later this week to the district meet at Cobre. Rattlers coach Tim Clark didn’t recall the results for his high-school runners Thursday, but he said his usual top runner, Creed Owen, had an off-week, allowing teammate to Alex Bueno De La O to have a better showing. “I’d rather have an off-week at Santa Rosa than have an off-week (at district),” Clark said. Clark said two varsity runners also did not compete Thursda...
A representative from the Tucumcari Historical Museum talked Monday to the Quay County Commission about the museum’s takeover of Tucumcari Rawhide Days and its expanded plans for the annual festival. Alan Daugherty, speaking on behalf of the Tucumcari Historical Research Institute that runs the museum, said it plans to expand the scope of the festival to a “Rails, Reels and the Route” theme — basically, Tucumcari’s railroad and Route 66 heritage, plus resuming a film festival — in 2023. Daugherty also said Tucumcari Rawhide Days also would...
Logan cruised to two district wins over Clovis Christian and San Jon last week and stayed alive in the race for a district title. The Lady Longhorns blasted visiting Clovis Christian 25-9, 25-5, 25-9 on Thursday, then overwhelmed visiting San Jon 25-10, 25-11, 25-21 on Saturday. Logan improved to 13-6 overall and 7-1 in district play. The Lady Longhorns trail only No. 1-ranked Melrose (18-0) in the district, which they will face again on Nov. 5. Melrose 3, San Jon 0 Like almost all of the Lady Buffaloes’ opponents this season, San Jon fell i...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Oct. 17 to Oct. 23: Monday — 11:16 a.m.: Domestic disturbance in 1000 block of South Monroe Street, Tucumcari. — 11:22 a.m.: Theft in 1600 block of East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. — 11:24 a.m.: Lost property in 2600 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 11:54 a.m.: Sex offender violation in 900 block of South Monroe Street, Tucumcari. — 12:24 p.m.: Threat in 100 block of West Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. — 2:31 p.m.: Theft in 1200 block of Ea...