Week of August 28, 2024
Week of August 28, 2024
Tucumcari’s police chief confirmed Wednesday a Snapchat video showing police officers with a significant amount of cash is the subject of a police investigation. One of the captions with the video stated: “This is what we do with the drug money we confiscate.” At one point the money is tossed into the air. But TPD Chief Patti Lopez said the cash wasn’t confiscated from an arrest. Instead, she said, it was money that one of the officers won while gambling at a casino. Lopez described the video as “officers making poor choices” and...
With a projected carryover of more than $11 million in the general fund early in the current fiscal year, Tucumcari city commissioners discussed spending some of that money on beautification - specifically targeting a derelict motel on the city's east side. Commissioners also discussed adding five part-time positions to various city departments. The commission had tentatively scheduled a special meeting for 4:30 p.m. Aug. 29 to approve the fiscal-year 2025 budget that would include the...
Next week, Tucumcari residents will have the rare opportunity to experience a performance here by two classical pianists - including one who will be a future resident. Siri Saracino, a professor of piano at Luca Marenzio Conservatory of Music of Brescia, Italy, and his student, Giulia Varga, will perform a free concert and recital at 7 p.m. Sept. 3 at the Tucumcari High School auditorium. Answering emailed questions from the Quay County Sun, Saracino said the program will be about one hour. It...
An open-records request to the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority revealed an engineering firm’s study that stated treating Ute Lake’s water for a pipeline to the Clovis region would be much more complex and costly than anticipated. That prompted the Quay County Commission to vote unanimously Monday to instruct county manager Daniel Zamora to write a letter on its behalf to the authority’s chairman, Clovis Mayor Mike Morris, urging it to cease construction on the nearly 100-mile pipeline in the county. Village of Logan council...
These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Aug. 19 to Aug. 26: — Bernice Eskeets, 44, Tucumcari, battery upon a peace officer, criminal trespass (unposted) and resisting, evading or obstructing an officer (arrest). — Richard M. Mascarenas, 18, Tucumcari, aggravated battery (great bodily harm). — Johnathan James Martinez, 31, Tucumcari, charge not listed. — Joseph Dockery, 29, Nara Visa, charge not listed. — Michael Lawrence Jones, 62, Albuquerque, charge not listed. — Anthony Ray Sandoval, 54,...
CLOVIS — Thursday’s water authority meeting got off to a contentious start when a village of Logan administrator accused members of damaging Logan’s economy in favor of others. “I’m simply going to leave you with one small request,” Logan village administrator Rodney Paris told the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority. “Don’t do any construction (in Logan) until you figure out how much it’s going to take, and you have full funding to build your treatment plant before you start tearing up everything there, damaging our...
New Mexico State Police arrested in Tucumcari a man accused of stealing a vehicle from Massachusetts after an advanced license plate reader system spotted the vehicle. According to a social media post by NMSP, the plate reader system had detected a stolen vehicle from Massachusetts. “The system displayed the plate number and picture of the stolen vehicle. Officers set up on Interstate 40 and waited for the vehicle to pass,” state police said. State police conducted the stop on the vehicle and took Michael Lawrence Jones, 62, into custody....
The New Mexico Department of Finance and Administration announced last week it had committed nearly $25 million to fund new correctional officers across the state, including three at the Quay County Correctional Center. The allocation will help offer the cost of new correctional officer salaries for three years. The Quay County Commission earlier this month approved a $393,750 grant agreement with the fund. Jail administrator Johnny Reid said the facility has filled 16 of 18 positions, though county manager Daniel Zamora said the grant may...
These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Aug. 19 to Aug. 25: Aug. 19 — 1:13 a.m.: Vandalism in 1100 block of South Third Street, Tucumcari. — 7:10 a.m.: Accident in 1900 block of South Mountain Road, Tucumcari. — 8:20 a.m.: Assault and battery in 200 block of East Center Street, Tucumcari. — 8:34 a.m.: Trespassing in 600 block of East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. — 10:28 a.m.: Code enforcement at South Fourth Street and West Delk Avenue, Tucumcari. — 10:34 a.m.: Accident with...
The president of Mesalands Community College told the board of trustees last week he anticipates having the fiscal-year 2023 audit finished by the end of August and completing an FY2024 audit by the regular Nov. 1 deadline. “This would put us in compliance with our audits!” Allen Moss wrote in his president’s report. “I’m am hearing positive results from this audit. We will still have findings, however steady improvement on each audit is what we’re looking for.” Moss also wrote that finishing the 2024 audit by the usual deadline...
Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Frosted cinnamon rolls, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, cinnamon graham cracker, apple, apple juice, 1%, skim or strawberry skim milk; Lunch: Cheesy chicken and rice casserole, buffalo chicken wrap, seasoned Italian veggies, fresh broccoli, fruit cocktail, 1%, skim, chocolate skim or strawberry skim milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Apple frudel, Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal, cinnamon graham cracker, apple, orange juice, 1%, skim or strawberry skim milk; Lunch: Hamburger with garnish, ham and cheese...
On this date ... 1974: The City of Tucumcari was preparing for the Piñata Festival in early September at the Quay County Fairgrounds, along with other events at the library, downtown and recreation center. Among the events scheduled were motorcycle races five miles west of town, a puppet show, a performance by the Senior Citizens Band of Clovis, turtle races and the Piñata Festival Parade. One of the Piñata Queen Pageant contestants was Mary Lorraine J. Aragon, a senior at Tucumcari High School sponsored by Cooper’s Cleaning Village....
2024 Quay County Fair Junior Market Livestock Results Poultry Results Large Breeds Class 1 All other pullets 1. Lucia Benavidez. 2. Jill Mosteller. 3. Carter Smith. 4. Lucia Benavidez. 5. Jill Mosteller. Class 2 Rock pullets 1. Payson Nials. 2. Lucia Benavidez. 3. Ashton Smith. 4. Lucia Benavidez. Class 3 American pullets 1. Ashton Smith. 2. Carter Smith. 3. Lucia Benavidez. Class 4 Cockerels 1. Carter Smith. 2. Ashton Smith. 3. Payson Nials. 4. Lilly Nials. Class 5 Turkens 1. Kylee Black. 2, 3. Kylee Black. Class 6 Trios 1. Ashton Smith. 2....
Thursday — Portrait photography workshop. Learn the basics of portraits from professional photographer Jim Livingston at 5:30 p.m. at the Tucumcari Railroad Depot. Participants must have their own camera. Cost is $10 per person. Register at https://forms.gle/gBm1wbnJDFSeYNfN7 Sept. 3 — Piano concert and recital. Luca Marenzio Conservatory of Music professor Siro Saracino of Italy, who will retire to Tucumcari, has chosen to give a free concert and recital with his student Giulia Varga. The concert will be at 7 p.m. in the Tucumcari High...
Opioid overdoses can be fatal in minutes, so it is important to act quickly and know how to use Narcan, a life-saving nasal spray that can reverse their effects. The Quay County Health Council is offering three free training sessions for the overdose medication on Sept. 5 at noon, 3 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. in the Great Room at Mesalands Community College. The trainings each will last about an hour and include how to identify an opioid overdose, laws that protect people trying to save a life, how to use Narcan and follow-up care of an overdose...
For about a quarter Friday, new Tucumcari football coach Doug South and his Rattlers made it interesting against Thoreau during the season-opener for both teams at Rattler Stadium. But after Tucumcari rallied to tie the game 8-8, Rattler mistakes and the Hawks' bigger size led to 30 unanswered points during a 38-8 Thoreau victory. South said the mental mistakes - such as two turnovers and penalties in short-yardage situations - proved costly. "Fundamentally, we're still breaking down," he said....
LOGAN - After losing the first game, Tucumcari's volleyball team won the next three against Elida by a 16-25, 25-21, 25-19, 25-21 score Saturday in the championship match of the Logan Lady Longhorns Volleyball Tournament. The Lady Rattlers (4-0), seeded second after a so-so performance in Thursday's pool play, knocked off the tournament's two top seeds - Elida and longtime rival Logan. It was the second time in three years Tucumcari won the Logan tournament. Logan (2-1) finished third in its...
Tucumcari’s Alex Bueno De La O finished runner-up Saturday in the Clovis Invitational boys cross-country meet at Ned Houk Park. The Rattlers finished third overall in the team standings. Bueno De La O, a senior, finished the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 59.96 seconds — only about 30 seconds behind his state-meet time last year. That was well behind, however, overall winner Sammy Fuentes, a senior from Clovis, who finished almost 90 seconds faster. Tucumcari coach Tim Clark said Bueno De La O actually finished third, but a Lovington...
The Logan High School football team began its first season in the six-man format with a 41-0 non-district victory Friday at Magdalena. Kickoff was delayed for about 90 minutes because of lightning. Statistics weren’t available, but Logan coach Dwayne Roberts said Aydin Kotara, Stratton Schoonover, Haden Judd and Mason Wallin each scored touchdowns for the Longhorns. Roberts said another three touchdowns of over 80 yards were called back due to penalties. “We looked like a team that’s just starting six-man football, but the more the game...
Donald Trump’s campaign is in a fierce tailspin as his failed attacks on Kamala Harris haven’t been able to slow down her growing popularity. “It’s very clear the former president is unraveling. He’s having a complete meltdown,” Ashley Etienne, a former Joe Biden staffer and political advisor, said during a recent segment on Anderson Cooper’s CNN show. “Kamala Harris has got him a chokehold that is really driving him to the point of insanity, and really driving his campaign to the point of paralysis.” Harris is officially...
On the first day of school last week, we attended the “Meet the Rattlers” event for Tucumcari’s fall athletes, including two of our grandsons. The program included a video promoting good sportsmanship, including by fans. I suspect that was appropriate because the event was likely attended by the most potentially rabid fans — parents and grandparents. While the video was right on about good sportsmanship, it included statements that the main goal shouldn’t be to win. I agree with that philosophy only to an extent because it’s...
Thank goodness the Democrat Party’s magic act in Chicago is finally over. For four days we had to watch the liberal media drool over Kamala Harris and her unimpressive VP choice, Tim Walz, like they were the greatest team of presidential candidates since JFK picked LBJ in 1960. We’ve had to listen to a parade of angry Democrats bigshots complain about what a broken, unfair and unfree place America has become and how Harris is going to fix everything and restore democracy. We’ve had to hear a string of Democrat nobodies get up on stage...
In her speech accepting the Democratic presidential nomination Thursday, Vice President Kamala Harris offered a withering indictment of her opponent. Donald J. Trump, she rightly observed, is in many ways “an unserious man,” but the consequences of returning him to the White House “are extremely serious.” She asked her audience to “consider the power he will have, especially after the U.S. Supreme Court just ruled that he would be immune from criminal prosecution. Just imagine Donald Trump with no guardrails …” She introduced...