Serving the High Plains

Articles from the September 19, 2018 edition


Sorted by date  Results 1 - 22 of 22

  • College likely to buy armory

    Ron Warnick|Sep 19, 2018

    Mesalands Community College likely will buy the closed New Mexico Army National Guard armory building adjacent to its campus for $1 later this month. After a 25-minute executive session, the college’s board of trustees on Sept. 11 passed a resolution that directs college President John Groesbeck to be the agent who presents a final sale agreement for the property later to the state’s armory board. The Tucumcari armory at 1200 S. 11th St., just south of the Mesalands campus, closed several yea...

  • Straight-party ballot nixed by Supreme Court

    Ron Warnick|Sep 19, 2018

    The New Mexico Supreme Court on Sept. 12 unanimously rejected a late-season bid by the secretary of state to reimpose straight-party voting. Bottom line: Straight-party voting won’t appear on the November general-election ballot in Quay County and the rest of New Mexico. Quay County Clerk Ellen White said during the county commission’s regular meeting Sept. 10 the return of straight-party voting would be “detrimental” to passage of the county’s hospital gross-receipts tax-renewal question on the Nov. 6 ballot. White said she feared straight-tic...

  • Fiber to be city-wide

    Steve Hansen|Sep 19, 2018

    Fast fiber-optic internet service will be available to the entire city of Tucumcari when Plateau completes a plan that begins with its purchase of the assets of Comcast in the city, Plateau’s chief operating officer Vince Tyson told the Tucumcari City Commission on Thursday. Comcast provides cable television service to about 300 customers in the city, Tyson said. Plateau was expected to complete its purchase of Comcast assets Monday, Tyson said. In addition to continuing cable television service with up to 38 channels for Tucumcari r...

  • Residents asked to 'just show up"

    Ron Warnick|Sep 19, 2018

    Just show up. That's the single biggest piece of advice to Quay County residents from the frontman of an investment group that will make its pitch for a Tucumcari horse-racing track at 1:30 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Tucumcari Convention Center at 1500 W. Route 66. Coronado Partners, led by Logan attorney Warren Frost, wants to build an $80 million track and casino sandwiched between Interstate 40 and Route 66 on Tucumcari's east side. But to build the facility, the New Mexico Racing Commission must...

  • Residents can dumpone free load Saturday at landfill

    The Staff of The News|Sep 19, 2018

    The city of Tucumcari will allow residents free disposal of one load of municipal solid waste up to 1,000 pounds from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Tucumcari Landfill, 30652 U.S. Route 54, according to a city news release. The offer is open to only city residents with a current paid water bill. Some restrictions apply, including the following: n Construction debris and tires are not covered under the free offer. Normal fees will be charged for construction debris and tires. n Any load with a weight over 1,000 pounds will be charged at the...

  • Calendar - Sept. 19

    Sep 19, 2018

    Friday-Sunday — Nara Visa Cowboy Gathering. The annual event includes a chuckwagon meals, performances, horseshoe pitching, dummy roping, cake and ice-cream social and cowboy church. For more, go to naravisacowboygathering.com. Nara Visa Community Center, Nara Visa. Saturday — Museum Day Live. As part of the Smithsonian Museum Day Live, visit Mesalands Community College's Dinosaur Museum for free. Tickets are available to download at smithsonian.com/museumday or at the Math-Science Learning Center at Mesalands. Those who present tickets at the...

  • Pages Past - Sept. 19

    Sep 19, 2018

    Sept. 19, 1968 • Tucumcari Industries, the city's new garment factory, will be interviewing applicants and begin hiring within a week, according to Houston A. "Bud" Doss, co-owner of the firm. Doss says the firm already has orders for 30,000 jackets - enough to keep it busy through January. He said the company anticipates hiring up to 100 people its first year. • Tucumcari High School principal William L. Litchfield announced one student - Miss Lynn Parker, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ira W. Par...

  • Police blotter - Sept. 19

    Sep 19, 2018

    The following are 911 calls made to the Tucumcari Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Sept. 10 to Sunday: Sept. 10 • 10:24 a.m.: Domestic disturbance in 500 block of East Route 66 Boulevard. • 1:42 p.m.: Arrest warrant in 1200 block of South Jackson Street. • 4:02 p.m.: Traffic accident with damage, 2300 block of South First Street. • 5:41 p.m.: Hit-and-run with property damage at 1700 block of South Third Street. Sept. 11 • 7:15 a.m.: Theft in 1200 block of South Second Street. • 4:25 p.m.: Harassment in 2300 block of South Fi...

  • Two vying for Logan city mananger position

    Staff report|Sep 19, 2018

    The village of Logan is considering two candidates for its vacant manager position, including one from Clovis. Acting village manager Larry Wallin said Monday during a phone interview the candidates are Connie Harrison, assistant finance director for the city of Clovis, and Scott Parnell, a project manager for a building company in Los Lunas. Village Council members were scheduled to gather during a special meeting Monday afternoon to discuss the candidates, but Wallin said he didn’t anticipate a final decision at that time. The village’s nex...

  • RV park no longer has 'Empty' feeling

    Ron Warnick|Sep 19, 2018

    When the Castelli brothers bought the Empty Saddle RV Park on Tucumcari's east side in April, one of the first things they did was change the name. That's because the facility since 2009 mostly had lived up to its name - empty. So a ceremonial ribbon-cutting Friday by the Tucumcari-Quay County Chamber of Commerce served more as a celebration the long-moribund site - now the Blaze-in-Saddle RV Park - had been revived. Silvio Castelli, who'd lived in Nevada in the construction and X-ray...

  • Pubilc should get answers on observatory evacuation

    Sep 19, 2018

    Did the National Solar Observatory, near Alamogordo, capture proof of UFOs, extraterrestrials, or maybe some end-of the-world catastrophe heading our way? Or perhaps Russian or Chinese hackers have compromised the computers and video devices at the observatory? Or there’s been some kind of U.S. Embassy Cuban sonic attack? There’s no shortage of speculation about the cause of the bizarre evacuation of the observatory and a nearby post office on Sept. 6. The facilities reopened this week, but it hasn’t stopped the wild rumors. The Assoc...

  • Hansen: Finally old, but don't feel like it

    Sep 19, 2018

    How old is a 68-year-old guy supposed to be? Maybe I’m supposed to be distinguished and stately, weighting my actions with gravitas. But maybe I should be defiant, saying age is just a number, making jokes about snow on the roof and fire in the furnace, and using current catch-phrases like a boss — like that. Or not. I am officially retired, but I continue to write for two weekly newspapers. That keeps me feeling young. On the other hand, I returned from a trip to California two weeks ago and found that work had temporality dried up. The une...

  • Jail log - Sept. 19

    Sep 19, 2018

    The following individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center Sept. 10-17: • Ezekiel Arthur Gutierrez, 40, disorderly conduct. • Anthony Vernone Martinez, 20, warrant on failure to appear and failure to comply. • Luis Najera, 27, warrant on two counts of failure to comply. • Felicia Ann Garcia, 36, two counts of intentional child abuse (no death or great bodily harm). • Jesse Lucero Garcia, 61, charge not listed; court order. • Christopher Pender, 38, battery on a household member (third offense). • Mario Baudillo Armijo, 48, c...

  • Early errors prevent ENMU upset bid

    Eric Murray|Sep 19, 2018

    PORTALES — Greyhounds coach Kelley Lee said it best about Saturday night’s 21-11 loss to No. 1 Texas A&M-Commerce at Greyhound Stadium. “Three first-half drives inside the red zone, resulting in just three points.” For Eastern New Mexico, there was certainly a somber feeling after the game, and it wasn’t necessarily because the Greyhounds now fall to 0-3 on the season — 0-1 in Lone Star Conference play. Instead, it was the disappointed feeling of knowing that they had the No. 1 team in the land...

  • Raton grabs win over Tucumcari

    Ron Warnick|Sep 19, 2018

    Raton’s Aden Vanderwater proved to be a one-man wrecking crew against Tucumcari, scoring five touchdowns and making four interceptions during a 35-14 football victory Friday night at Raton. Vanderwater also kicked all five extra-points for the Tigers (2-2). The turnovers and a 17-play drive in the first quarter that stalled spoiled a solid rushing attack for the visiting Rattlers (1-3). Seth Martinez led Tucumcari with 127 yards on 23 carries. TJ Lampkin rushed for 71 yards on 13 carries and threw for a 38-yard touchdown during a halfback p...

  • Logan volleyball takes pair of tough losses

    Staff report|Sep 19, 2018

    The Logan volleyball squad suffered two losses last week, but they weren’t to creampuff teams. The Lady Longhorns (7-3) finished third in Vixen Classic tournament Saturday at Fort Sumner by defeating Santa Rosa 25-16, 25-17, 25-16. Logan was knocked out of title-game contention by losing to Class 1A defending state champion Melrose 21-25, 23-25, 25-16, 15-25 in the semifinals. Melrose (7-0) went on to win the Vixen Classic by defeating Mesilla Valley Christian 25-21, 25-15, 25-23 in the title m...

  • Menus - Sept. 19

    Sep 19, 2018

    Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Hot ham and egg biscuit, fruit, juice, milk; Lunch: Beef nachos, pinto beans, salsa, shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, fruit, milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Mini cinnamon roll, fruit, juice, milk; Lunch: Lunch: Cheeseburger, crisp Romaine lettuce, fresh sliced tomatoes, sliced pickles, JoJo potato wedges, fruit, milk. Friday — Breakfast: Breakfast pizza, fruit, juice, milk; Lunch: Hot dog, potato chips, steamed peas and carrots, cherry tomatoes, fruit, milk. Monday — Breakfast: Strawberry Splash pancake...

  • Mesalands takes roping reserve title

    Staff report|Sep 19, 2018

    The Mesalands Community College rodeo men’s team won the team roping reserve championship title during its first competition of the season this past weekend at Tsaile, Arizona. Both the men’s and women’s teams finished fourth in the average. Mesalands team roper Michael Lucero of Jemez Springs, New Mexico, finished second in the average and clinched the team roping reserve championship title with Braiden Washburn, who competes for New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. Bareback rider A.J. Kee from Farmington, Missouri, finished third in th...

  • Tucumcari runners compete at NMMI Invite

    Staff report|Sep 19, 2018

    Josh Chavez and Aleaya Lucero were Tucumcari's top boys and girls finishers Saturday during the New Mexico Military Institute Invitational in Roswell. "The team is working hard, and times are coming down," Tucumcari coach Gary Hittson said. Chavez led the varsity boys with a time of 17 minutes, 56 seconds over the 3-mile course, good enough for 25th. Other boys running for the Rattlers were Manny Hernandez (47th, 19:42) and Charles Prieto (62nd, 20:42). Clovis easily won the boys team standings with 27 points, followed by Carlsbad with 78. The...

  • Lauriault: We're responsible for knowing God's will

    Sep 19, 2018

    I’ve heard of this before, but thought it was just a line for something like the Family Circus comic. My daughter, who lives locally, has been attending church with us along with her children (I’m very proud of her for that!). Her 3-year-old son looked at our preacher recently and said, “It’s God! Look, Mom, it’s God!” On another Sunday, he approached the preacher and said politely, “Hi, God.” Apparently, he was told they were going to God’s house, and since the preacher did most of the “important” talking, he must be God. This started me...

  • Football roundup: Boise City tops Longhorns 54-8

    Staff report|Sep 19, 2018

    Boise City, Oklahoma, seized control early during an eight-man football game Saturday night against visiting Logan and coasted to a 54-8 victory. The Wildcats (2-1) grabbed a 28-0 lead in the first quarter and led 35-0 at halftime against the Longhorns (1-3). "We had a lot of turnovers and key penalties that killed us," Logan coach Chase Disney said, estimating his team totaled about 300 yards in penalties. "Boise City was just bigger and faster than us," Disney added. The loss spoiled a big game for Logan running back Jantzen Paris, who ran...

  • Raton tops Tucumcari in four

    Ron Warnick|Sep 19, 2018

    Raton and Tucumcari made plenty of mistakes during their volleyball match. It was the Lady Rattlers who made a few more of them during a 25-27, 25-18, 18-25, 16-25 loss Thursday night at the Snake Pit. In the fourth and deciding game, Tucumcari (1-8) fell behind 21-12 and never quite recovered. In the first game, the trailing Lady Rattlers rallied for a 5-0 run to take a 25-24 lead but surrendered the next three points, including the clincher. Tucumcari coach Dana Benavidez was frustrated by...