Serving the High Plains

Articles from the November 8, 2023 edition


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  • DA declines charges in shooting by deputy

    Ron Warnick, The Staff of The News|Nov 8, 2023

    The local district’s attorney announced his office will not file charges against a Quay County sheriff’s deputy over the July shooting of an armed Tucumcari man during a domestic dispute. Deputy Joseph Otero shot Mathew J. Dimas, 38, three times early July 19 during a standoff in the backyard of a Logan home. Dimas died while being transported by ambulance to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari. District Attorney Timothy Rose sent a letter last month to New Mexico State Police Agent Justin Tiemann and other state police officials, stating no...

  • Tucumcari voters oust 2 commissioners

    Staff report|Nov 8, 2023

    In a sign that Tucumcari voters desired change, two incumbent city commissioners - including its mayor - lost decisively during local elections Tuesday. Also, voters approved bond questions at all four of Quay County's public schools, including one that could lead to a new school at San Jon. A renewal of a gross receipts tax to support Trigg Memorial Hospital also passed comfortably. Results are unofficial for now. The Quay County Commission is scheduled to approve a canvass of the local...

  • Lodgers board rejects $20,000 request for cannabis event

    Ron Warnick, The Staff of The News|Nov 8, 2023

    The Tucumcari Lodgers Tax Advisory Board rejected a $20,000 funding request from a cannabis-themed Smoke Currency Tour scheduled to make a stop in the city next month. After hearing a presentation Wednesday by La Casa Verde co-owner Steve Farmer, board Chairman Matt Bednorz three times asked for a motion from fellow board members on the request. None was made, and the proposal died from the lack of action. Board members voiced reservations about the size of the funding request and questioned how effective an advertising or social media...

  • County files lawsuit over bridge

    Staff report|Nov 8, 2023

    Quay County government has filed a lawsuit against the contractor, architect and state insurance authority over the lack of insurance on a new, multimillion-dollar bridge destroyed by flash flooding in May. The county filed the complaint, alleging breach of contract, negligence and unfair insurance practices and demanding declaratory relief, in Tucumcari district court on Oct. 26. The lawsuit is against contractor Vital Consulting Group of Albuquerque, architect Stantec Consulting Services and...

  • Mountain lions sighted in Logan

    Staff report|Nov 8, 2023

    The Logan Police Department has confirmed at least one incident of a mountain lion attacking a domestic cat and of numerous reports of the big cats wandering throughout the village. The department stated in a social media post last week it has contacted New Mexico Game & Fish for advice about the matter and is working with the agency. “We are asking the public to help us to not inadvertently attract these cats,” the department stated. “Please do not leave anything outside that would attract animals to include pet foods. “It is also suggest...

  • Princess Theatre remediation to cost less than expected

    Staff report|Nov 8, 2023

    Because the presence of asbestos in the long-closed Princess Theatre was less than expected, it likely will free up more money for facade improvements on the historic venue. During the monthly meeting Thursday of the Princess Theatre advisory board, city manager Paula Chacon said a $1,800 assessment by Rhoades Environmental of Rio Rancho had found asbestos in just two areas — its front facade and in two offices. The theater area itself had no asbestos, she said. “He was surprised; there wasn’t as much as he thought,” Chacon said of the inspect...

  • Falling back, falling away, falling apart and falling together

    Leonard Lauriault, Religion columnist|Nov 8, 2023

    Well, over the past two weeks, we’ve had Halloween’s spookiness, the idiocy of falling back to end daylight savings time and local elections. While, as I write this, the outcome of the election is unknown, our state and national elections are becoming scarier all the time and our country seems to be falling apart at the seams. Halloween isn’t so bad, and our local elections give us the opportunity to personally represent ourselves regarding taxation for local improvements. Falling back to standard time, on the other hand, mainly just throws our...

  • Pages past - Nov. 8

    Nov 8, 2023

    On this date ... 1973: President Richard Nixon asked Americans to voluntarily to drive slower and lower home thermostats to stave off what he called the worst fuel shortage since World War II. Nixon said a long-forming fuel shortage, plus crisis in the Middle East, will leave the United States short of 2 million to 3 million barrels of oil per day. Nixon asked Congress for more power and asked citizens to sacrifice energy luxuries until the pinch is over. If that does not work, Nixon warned Americans they may have the first direct consumer...

  • Menus - Nov. 8

    Nov 8, 2023

    Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Egg and cheese breakfast burrito, assorted cereal, cinnamon graham cracker, fresh banana, apple juice, 1%, skim or strawberry skim milk; Lunch: Chicken drumstick, ham and cheese sandwich, mashed potatoes, brown gravy mix, seasoned baked whole-grain roll, seasoned green beans, fresh baby carrots, garden side salad, red grapes, 1%, skim, chocolate skim or strawberry skim milk. Thursday — Breakfast” Whole-grain doughnut ring, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, cinnamon graham cracker, mandarin oranges, orang...

  • Calendar - Oct. 8

    Nov 8, 2023

    • Friday — Helping Hands Hospice annual enchilada dinner. Dinners include enchiladas, beans, rice, chips and salsa for $12. The annual quilt drawing also will take place. Dinner sill be served from 5 to 8 p.m. at Hammond Hall at 450 S. Fifth St., Tucumcari. • Saturday — Veterans Appreciation Breakfast. All veterans are invited to this free breakfast at the Tucumcari Elks Lodge 1172 at 2118 S. Adams St. from 7 to 9 a.m. Spouses and guests will be charged $5 each. • Saturday — Veterans Remembrance Ceremony. Tucumcari VFW Post 2528 will hold a cer...

  • Extension service to host applicators workshop

    Staff report|Nov 8, 2023

    The Quay County Extension Service will be hosting its annual private pesticide and herbicide applicators workshop on Nov. 21 at the Quay County Fairgrounds in Tucumcari. The program begins at 8:30 a.m. and will be worth five continuing education credits. The extension service is asking participants to RSVP by Nov. 17 by calling (575) 461-0562 and provide their applicator number. The cost of the program is $15 and includes lunch. The workshop will cover pesticide laws and regulations, weed control in drylands cropping, using rodenticides to cont...

  • Jail log - Nov. 8

    Nov 8, 2023

    These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3: — Dennessa L. Bland, 53, Tucumcari, contempt of court. — Daniel Edward Lott, 58, Tucumcari, criminal trespass (posted). — Shawn Wagner, 25, Portales, contempt of court. — Carlos Mathias Sandy, 30, Tucumcari, contempt of court. — Calvin Lary, 54, no address listed, probation violation. — Nick Craig Womack, 34, Tucumcari, probation violation. — Frankie Martinez, 26, Tucumcari, contempt of court. — Orlando A. DeHerrera, 57, Tucumcari, aggravated assa...

  • Time to address China supremacy of vital minerals

    Jim Constantopoulos, Guest columnist|Nov 8, 2023

    At the close of World War II, the United States revealed one of the secrets to the Allied success. It was the discovery in 1942 of a large tungsten deposit in the hills outside of Yellow Pine, Idaho. Tungsten is a rare mineral used to harden artillery shells. With those shells, enemy armored vehicles and tanks were blown up. Tungsten was also used to harden bullets, and its discovery in Yellow Pine was credited with having shortened the war by at least one year and saved the lives of a million American soldiers. Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower sent...

  • Don't be confused: Government has no rights

    Kent McManigal, Local columnist|Nov 8, 2023

    When government clearly goes too far, someone may ask whether or not government has the right to do what it did. The honest answer is always “no.” Government has no rights. It’s not that government has no extra rights; government has no rights of any kind. Individuals who work for government have rights. They have the same rights anyone else has. Rights equal and identical to the rights everyone else enjoys, but no more. These individuals don’t magically get extra rights made up out of thin air because they work for government or wear a badge...

  • Numerous unknowns before us

    Rube Render, Local columnist|Nov 8, 2023

    Some years ago, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld wrote that there were known/knowns, known/unknowns and unknown/unknowns. Think about it. That’s things we know, things we know that we don’t know and things we don’t know we don’t know. It’s that last one that will put you in really deep kimchi. Jake Sullivan’s “Foreign Affairs” article prepared prior to Oct. 7, noting that the Middle East was quieter than it had been in two decades, is a classic example of unknown unknowns. Sullivan didn’t kn...

  • Runners from Tucumcari and San Jon qualify for state

    Staff report|Nov 8, 2023

    Tucumcari High School’s Alex Bueno De La O was the school’s lone runner to qualify for the state cross-country meet during Friday’s district event at Socorro. Also, San Jon runner Rayna Sena qualified for state during Saturday’s district meet at Fort Stanton. Bueno De La O, a junior, ran the primitive 5,000-meter course at the Socorro Rodeo & Sports Complex in 19 minutes, 39.3 seconds. That was good enough for sixth place. The top 10 individual finishers advanced to the state meet. Eddie Encinias, who coached the team while Tim Clark is side...

  • Lady Rattlers win 11th in a row

    Ron Warnick, The Staff of The News|Nov 8, 2023

    Tucumcari's volleyball team ran its winning streak to 11 and tightened its grip on first place in its district with a 25-11, 25-22, 25-15 victory over visiting Dexter on Thursday. The Lady Rattlers, who improved to 17-4 overall and 4-0 in District 4, knocked the Lady Demons (10-11, 1-3) out of district contention. Tucumcari can wrap up an undisputed district title with wins Tuesday at New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell and at home Thursday against contender Ruidoso. The Lady Rattlers,...

  • Melrose advances to finals with 50-14 win over Ft. Sumner

    Dave Wagner, The Staff of The News|Nov 8, 2023

    MELROSE – It's not like Melrose expected to run roughshod over Fort Sumner on Friday night, as the Buffaloes had done two weeks earlier in district play. In fact, Friday's eight-man semifinal matchup was far more competitive for far longer. In the end, though, the top-ranked Buffaloes simply had too much firepower and pulled away to a 50-14 win over the Foxes. Fort Sumner is in a sports cooperative with House Municipal Schools in southern Quay County, but no House students are on the Foxes' r...

  • Police blotter - Nov. 8

    Nov 8, 2023

    These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Oct. 30 to Nov. 5: Monday — 7:30 a.m.: Accident with injuries at milepost 313, U.S. 54, Tucumcari. — 8:42 a.m.: Domestic disturbance in 1000 block of East High Street, Tucumcari. — 9:37 a.m.: Theft in 300 block of South Third Street, Tucumcari. — 10:24 a.m.: Theft in 500 block of Quay Road 585, Bard. — 11:20 a.m.: Arrest warrant in 100 block of West High Street, Tucumcari. — 12:16 p.m.: Narcotics in 300 block of East High Street, Tucumcari. — 1:10 p.m....

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