Week of July 24, 2024
Week of July 24, 2024
A Tucumcari man remained jailed this week on six felony charges after being accused of shooting at a moving vehicle – injuring one of its occupants Frankie Joe Martinez, 27, was charged Thursday with five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, plus one count of shooting at or from a motor vehicle, causing injury. All six counts are felonies, with the most serious that could lead up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000. Much of the information came from a New Mexico State Police news release and an affidavit filed...
The New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department in Tucumcari last week named one of its conference rooms after a local woman who fostered over 100 children before her death this year. The local CYFD honored Merlinda Sisneros on her birthday, July 16. That also was the date Sisneros fostered her first child in 2008. A foster parent provides a temporary home to children in abuse or neglect cases. The Tucumcari CYFD office serves not only Quay County, but Harding and De Baca counties....
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from July 11 to July 18: — Tehron Lampkin, 21, Tucumcari, felony possession of a controlled substance (narcotic drug), criminal damage to property (under $1,000) and criminal trespass (posted). — Josiah J. Martinez, 19, no address listed, contempt of court. — Pete John Apodaca, 46, Tucumcari, assault against a household member and disorderly conduct. — Frankie Martinez, 27, Tucumcari, shooting at or from a motor vehicle (great bodily harm) and five counts of...
The board for Tucumcari Public Schools approved a new cellphone policy that bars “unauthorized” use of the devices on campus during the day. Superintendent Carl Marano said he recently met with other superintendents in the region whose districts have implemented similar policies. He said TPS is drafting a frequently-asked-questions page to inform parents and students about the policy. The policy states that student use of electronic devices in TPS schools have increased the frequency of classroom disruptions, reduced student focus and...
David Brenner is marking the 10th anniversary of the opening of his Roadrunner Lodge Motel along Route 66 in Tucumcari with several events to mark the occasion. Looking to the future, Brenner said he plans to open a neon-lighting shop near his motel in 2025 after he acquired the contents of a shop in Midland, Texas. The 10th anniversary falls on July 24. Brenner said family members and far-flung friends have booked all the rooms at the facility that night. On Thursday, Brenner plans to hold an...
Mesalands Community College conducted a nationwide search for a new president, but it turned out the board of trustees preferred the candidate who'd been running the college for the past 18 months. The board last Tuesday officially removed the "interim" tag from president Allen Moss' job title, offering him the position and approving a three-year contract at about $170,000 a year. The votes on both measures were unanimous. The actions followed a closed executive session that lasted about 30...
An attempted assassination of former president Donald Trump left New Mexico lawmakers shocked and calling for unity and a return to “civility” in American politics. Trump was shot in the ear during a campaign rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania. The gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot to death by the Secret Service moments after he fired rounds at Trump using a high-powered rifle from an elevated area near the rally. Trump was rushed off the stage by the Secret Service, blood dripping down the right side of his face...
Paws & Claws Animal Rescue of Quay County canceled a fundraiser scheduled for Thursday due to internet issues at the shelter. The fundraiser was supposed to be facilitated by Kris Rotonda of Jordan’s Way, which does live, three-hour Facebook fundraisers from animal shelters that are seen nationwide. Rotonda founded Jordan’s Way after his favorite dog, Jordan, died. He had adopted Jordan from an animal shelter. Kathi McCelland, chair of the board for Paws & Claws, said the event would have done fun challenges to encourage people to donate....
On this date ... 1974: Dr. Thomas Prescott, who purchased the former First National Bank Building and the closed Princess Theatre in downtown Tucumcari, announced he would use the properties for House of the Testaments, a permanent museum of art. Forty of the paintings would depict the Old Testament of the Bible, and another 40 would depict the New Testament — all in the style of Dutch-born artist Jan Maters. Each painting would have its own communication system where you push a button and hear the description and history of the artwork....
Quay County 4-H's agronomy team took home a state title during the 101st annual New Mexico State 4-H Conference at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. The local team of Keira Black, Ashton Smith and Patric Szaloy won the crown, with Black winning a buckle for high-point individual and Smith as third-high individual. The second Quay County team of Carter Smith, Paxton Smith and Maddie Kenyon finished third at state. Also, Ashton Smith won first place in the Fashion Revue with her Senior...
Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a “blue screen of death” or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users. The company pushed out an update to the software overnight, and at 1:30 a.m. EST, CrowdStrike...
The Tucumcari/Quay Regional Emergency Communications board recommended an even split with the county over the cost of a proposed information technology services contract. The measure was scheduled to go to the Quay County Commission for final approval. Park Place Technologies of Cleveland, Ohio, proposed providing IT services for $55,000 a year, plus a onetime $4,000 setup fee, for both entities. County manager Daniel Zamora, who attended the July 15 meeting by videoconference, recommended a 50/50 cost split between the county and dispatch....
Tucumcari Senior Center Wednesday — Pasta with meat sauce, Italian blend vegetables, whole-wheat bread with margarine, fruit cocktail. Thursday — Baked chicken, gravy, tossed salad with dressing, rice pilaf, country vegetables, wheat bread with margarine, chocolate pudding. Friday — Cheeseburger with lettuce and tomato, potato salad, roasted Brussels sprouts, oatmeal raisin cookie. Monday — Taco salad with lettuce, tomato and salsa, calabacitas, green beans, peaches. Tuesday — Green chile cheese chicken sandwich, scalloped potatoes,...
Friday-Saturday — Quay County 4-H Rodeo. This competition at the Quay County Fairgrounds for senior, junior and novice rodeo athletes draws from a wide region. Events, which begin at 5 p.m. each day, include bareback bronc riding, bull riding, tiedown roping, ribbon roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, barrel racing, pole bending, saddle bronc riding, steer wrestling and team roping. Saturday — St. Anne’s Fiesta. The annual event by the St. Anne’s Catholic Church will be from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the St. Anne’s school and Hammond...
Turns out, Democrats have a mind of their own. You can see it in the fallout from Joe Biden’s weak debate performance, when the president showed his age. And you could see it in last week’s special session of the New Mexico Legislature, when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham attempted to run roughshod over her party with poorly vetted legislation. It should have been a humbling experience from our second-term governor, who has been getting things done her way for nearly six years now. But instead of coming out, hat in hand, to apologize for her...
The political world was shaken by the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump. Footage from the event showed Trump clutch his right ear and go down after gunshots rang out. Quickly rising to his feet amid a phalanx of U.S. Secret Service agents, Trump pumped a fist at the crowd as blood seeped from the side of his head. The agents responded swiftly to protect the former president and shot the apparent attacker, a registered Republican, to death. From the outset, both Democrat and Republican leaders denounced the attack....
“This isn’t my father’s Secret Service.” That’s what I immediately tweeted in response to the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Little did I know. Every day, drip by drip, we get more proof of the incredible incompetence of the agency that is supposed to prevent the kind of shooting that happened in broad daylight near Pittsburgh. While we wait for the inevitable shocking new revelations about the attempt on Trump’s life, he, his family and millions of other people are saying they believe it was not just luck but an act of...
In the Bible-reading plan I’ve designed for myself, I come to the book of Ecclesiastes about twice a year; and every time I read it, I end up thinking, “I should read this more often.” As a brand-new believer in my 20, all those decades ago, Ecclesiastes was confusing to me and even a little depressing. Now, it’s a welcomed friend who continues, somehow, to keep reminding me of the things I’ve managed to forget since I last read it. Young men, as designed by God, should be filled with fire, eager to conquer the world and unsatisfied...