Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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Just one COVID-19 case was reported in Quay County last week, according to data kept by the New Mexico Department of Health. That continued a downward trend in February — from three cases last week and six cases two weeks ago. That brought the total number of coronavirus cases in Quay County since the pandemic began in spring 2020 to 2,553 by Friday. According to the COVID Act Now website that tracks the disease, the county’s rate of new cases plummeted to 18.2 cases per 100,000 people last week, compared to 72.7 the previous week. Quay County...
The superintendent of Logan Municipal Schools informed school board members last week of bills in the New Mexico Legislature that may affect school districts, including one that could lengthen the school year. Superintendent Dennis Roch said during the board’s Feb. 13 meeting about House Bill 130, would increase the yearly minimum instruction time from 1,080 to 1,140 hours. However, he said that 60-hour increase can be used for professional development entirely, which has gained support from the state’s superintendents and teacher unions. Ano...
Arch Hurley Conservancy District’s manager seemed resigned that a minimum-wage bill in the New Mexico Legislature would be enacted, thus increasing the district’s cost at least $50,000 to $60,000 a year and leading to significant hikes in assessments for many landowners. District manager Franklin McCasland told the board of trustees last week that a Labor and Veterans Committee substitute for House Bill 25, known as the Minimum Wage & Indexing Act, would hike the hourly minimum wage from $12 to $13.50 on Jan. 1, 2024, increase it to $15.50 on...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Feb. 13 to Feb. 17: — Jonathan Rashaud Coleman, 31, Denver, possession of a stolen vehicle. — William Holmes, 38, no address listed, contempt of court. — Ashley A. Nolan, 40, Tucumcari, distribution of a controlled substance, conspiracy to commit distribution of a controlled substance, bringing contraband into jail and conspiracy to commit bringing contraband onto prison grounds. — Billy Jack Baca, 43, Tucumcari, felony possession of a controlled substance (narcot...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Feb. 13 to Feb. 19: Monday — 8:02 a.m.: Accident in 2600 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 10:16 a.m.: Breaking and entering in 1700 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 11:25 a.m.: Trespassing in 100 block of West Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. — 5:03 p.m.: Domestic disturbance in 700 block of West Sunset Avenue, Tucumcari. — 5:42 p.m.: Brush fire in 3600 block of East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. — 5:49 p.m.: Hit-and-run accident in...
Two Tucumcari people made their first appearances in magistrate court Friday after they were criminally charged in the death of another resident who was attacked and killed last week by a pack of dogs. Mary Olimpia Montoya, 50, and her son Kristopher Jaquaris Morris, 27, both of the 400 block of West High Street, each was charged earlier in the week with involuntary manslaughter (reckless) and a dangerous dog (death of a person). The dangerous-dog charge is a third-degree felony that can lead up to six years in prison and up to a $5,000 fine....
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees appointed an acting interim president Tuesday night, but not without testy opposition from the executive staff who labeled the move as “retaliatory” against them and accused the board of violating its own policies. The board also approved a solvency plan of salary and program cuts for the financially troubled college and moved to implement it immediately. The move clears the way for the New Mexico Department of Higher Education’s proposal of issuing up to $4.7 million in emergency funds for M...
New Mexico State Police is investigating an aggravated battery in Logan that has left the victim in critical condition. Early Tuesday, a victim was found with severe injuries consistent with an aggravated battery at 1006 Martinez St. in Logan. Logan Police Chief Rodney Paris said Tuesday the victim was “covered in blood” but did not give any more details, citing the NMSP investigation. The victim was airlifted to a hospital in Lubbock, Texas, and is in critical condition. This investigation remains active as the New Mexico State Police Inv...
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees, acting without its embattled president, approved a solvency plan that imposes progressively deeper pay cuts for higher-earning employees and cuts some programs for the financially distressed college. The board during its special meeting Thursday also approved a request of $4.7 million in state emergency funding to carry Mesalands through the end of the fiscal year in June. Officials there recently learned the college had only enough money to cover one more payroll period. The action followed a...
The Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday accepted a $216,803 state grant to repair the city’s municipal swimming pool that the city manager said she hopes to reopen by summer. The city last month received a Regional Recreation Centers/Quality of Life grant to fix the pool, which has been closed since 2019. It was one of 35 such grants issued statewide totaling $45 million. City manager Paula Chacon said she would start the bidding process for the pool, which has a severe leak under it. When asked by a commissioner whether the repairs would be...
Quay County Assessor Janie Hoffman is stepping down later this year after a total of 14 years in the position. Hoffman announced during a closed executive session with Quay County commissioners on Monday that she was resigning effective June 30. “My husband and I are in the process of purchasing Western Plains Title,” Hoffman explained in a phone interview Monday. She anticipated the transaction would close by the time she resigns. “My interpretation (owning a title company) is a conflict of interest,” she added. “That’s why I’m resigning my...
On this date ... 1973: Construction began this week on the main security vault for the new First National Bank building on First Street in Tucumcari, across from the post office. The walls of the vault are 18 inches thick, using 87,000 pounds of No. 5 steel on the walls and floor as well as 187 yards of concrete. A 7-inch-thick steel door will control the entrance to the main vault, which is about 700 square feet. The main vault will be complemented by two other secondary vaults with approximately 900 square feet. — The regular monthly T...
Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Bacon and cheese frittata wrap, toast, assorted cereal, graham crackers, fresh banana, orange juice, skim or 1% milk; Lunch: Turkey BLT wrap, barbecued pork riblet hoagie, corn on the cob, cucumber, ranch dressing, fresh strawberries, skim, chocolate skim, 1% or strawberry milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Strawberry and yogurt parfait, assorted cereal, graham crackers, fresh apple apple juice, orange juice, skim, 1% or strawberry milk; Lunch: Ham and egg chef salad, hamburger, french fries, creamy col...
• Monday, March 5 — Little League field cleanup day. Show your support for Quay County Little League players by lending a hand and helping clean up the field to get it ready for the upcoming season. Times for the cleanup will be noon on both days. The field is off South 14th Street in Tucumcari. • Feb. 21 — Women’s United Galentine Paint and Sip Night. Have a glass of wine while you paint with other women looking to make a difference in their community. Linda Griggs will teach the class. The event from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Tucumcari Railroad...
Quay County’s risk of community spread of COVID-19 dropped back to the “low” level after a two-week spike. The COVID Act Now website that tracks the disease on Friday dropped Quay County’s risk of community spread from the “medium” level. It was in the “high” level two weeks ago. According to COVID Act Now, the county’s rate of new cases rose rose to 72.7 cases per 100,000 people last week, compared to 48.5 the previous week. COVID-19 admissions in the Curry-Roosevelt Health Service Area, which fueled COVID Act Now’s downgraded ratings...
Four reports of shots-fired incidents in Tucumcari last Tuesday night led to a brief lockdown of Rattler Gymnasium after a boys basketball game. Interim Tucumcari Police Chief Patricia Lopez said Wednesday that police had identified two possible suspects in shots-fired incidents, but no arrests had been made. Lopez said the shots-fired calls came from throughout the city. She said no injuries or property damage had been reported. One of the shots-fired calls was reported near West Tucumcari Boulevard, prompting a precautionary lockdown of...
Executive staff for financially troubled Mesalands Community College and representatives from its faculty and staff senates during a special board of trustees meeting Thursday issued scathing criticism of Mesalands President Gregg Busch, who wasn’t present. The faculty and staff senates also criticized the board of trustees for its alleged lack of oversight over Busch and the recent revelations of the college’s poor finances. Both bodies earlier in the week issued no-confidence votes against the board, as well as against Busch. The exe...
A Tucumcari teen who died in a Jeep accident last month at Five Mile Park was hanging out the vehicle’s window and wasn’t belted into his passenger-side seat when the crash occurred. The driver had been making tight circles, known as doing doughnuts or drifting, when the vehicle overturned onto its side. Those details were revealed in a recently completed and partially redacted Tucumcari Police Department report compiled by Detective Reyes Gonzales, which the Quay County Sun obtained Friday through an open-records request. Interim police chi...
Pieces of wire brush found in mashed potatoes during lunch Wednesday at Tucumcari Public Schools prompted the district to pull the product off its shelves and alert the manufacturer. Superintendent Aaron McKinney, in a social media post Wednesday to parents, said the pieces of wire brush were V-shaped and about 1 inch long. “We have no report of any students ingesting the wire brushes at this time, but all products have been pulled from the shelves,” he wrote. McKinney said Friday he knew of only a couple of instances where the wire brush pie...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Feb. 6 to Feb. 12: Monday — 6:05 a.m.: Theft in 700 block of South Monroe Street, Tucumcari. — 6:42 a.m.: Arrest warrant in 1000 block of South Monroe Street, Tucumcari. — 8:19 a.m.: Vandalism in 800 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 8:28 a.m.: Illegal dumping at Quay Roads AO and 65, Tucumcari. — 11:19 a.m.: Vandalism in 300 block of East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. — 11:36 a.m.: Theft in 200 block of East Center Street, Tucumcari....
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Feb. 3 to Feb. 13: — Lucrecia Kimberly Ulibarri, 21, Tucumcari, two counts of contempt of court. — Fred A. Chavez, 60, Tucumcari, contempt of court. — Singh Paramvir, 28, no address listed, aggravated driving while under the influence of intoxicating liquor or any drug (refusal). — Troy D. Cooper, 43, Tucumcari, larceny ($250 or less). — Pancha Rivas, 19, Tucumcari, felony contempt of court. — Kristopher Jaquarias Morris, 27, Tucumcari, keeping animal known to be vicious...
A pack of roaming dogs attacked and killed a Tucumcari man as he was walking near Mesalands Community College on Wednesday night, state police said. Five mixed-breed dogs attacked Stanley Hartt, 64, as he was walking down 11th Street near Gamble Avenue, according to a news release from New Mexico State Police, which is investigating. Hartt died at the scene of his injuries and was pronounced dead by the Office of Medical Examiner. NMSP will give its final report to the district attorney's...
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees during a special meeting Thursday night approved an insolvency plan that imposes progressively deeper pay cuts for higher-earning employees and cuts some programs for the financially distressed college. The board also approved a request of $4.7 million in state emergency funding to carry Mesalands through the end of the fiscal year in June after officials recently learned the college had only enough money to cover one more payroll period. The insolvency plan initially proposed a 2% pay cut for...
Two Tucumcari people have been criminally charged in the death of another resident who was attacked and killed last week by a pack of dogs and face a court date Friday. Mary Montoya, 50, and Kristopher Morris, 27, both of the 400 block of West High Street, each was charged with involuntary manslaughter and a dangerous dog (death of a person). They were booked into the Quay County Detention Center on Wednesday. They are scheduled to appear in magistrate court at 1 p.m. Friday. The dangerous-dog charge is a third-degree felony that can lead up...
Four reports of shots-fired incidents in Tucumcari on Tuesday night led to a brief lockdown of Rattler Gymnasium after a boys basketball game and officers searching to find the suspects. Interim Tucumcari Police Chief Patricia Lopez said Wednesday that police had identified two possible suspects in shots-fired incidents, but no arrests had been made. Tucumcari Police still were investigating. Lopez said the shots-fired calls came from throughout the city. She said no injuries or property damage had been reported. One of the shots-fired calls...