Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
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The Tucumcari Film Festival returns Friday and Saturday, and this time all the entries will be screened at the historic Odeon Theatre in what likely will be a last hurrah for the venue's owners. Christy Dominguez, general manager of the Odeon and co-owner with her husband Robert Lopez, said last week they have accepted a local buyout offer for the Odeon, though she wasn't sure when the deal would be completed. Dominguez said they have a second offer awaiting if the contract falls through. This...
The Quay County Clerk’s Office announced last week that voters registered with a major party in New Mexico can request an absentee ballot for the June primary election at nmvote.org or by contacting the County Clerk. All registered major party voters in New Mexico can apply for, receive and vote with an absentee ballot in the primary. This year, voters can opt to be part of the permanent absentee list when requesting their absentee ballot. When a voter chooses this option, he or she will receive an absentee ballot in the mail for every s...
Tucumcari's softball team managed just five hits during an 8-0 district loss Thursday at state-ranked Dexter. The Lady Rattlers trailed 3-0 through four innings, and the Lady Demons scored five in the fifth to seize control. Haisley Huffman went 2-for-3 with two doubles for Tucumcari. Alexis Ramirez, Angel Vasquez and July Lafferty also hit singles for the Lady Rattlers. Tucumcari didn't have many other opportunities against Dexter eighth-grade pitcher Kaylonie Nevarez, who walked one batter...
The Tucumcari baseball team still was searching for its first district win of the season after a doubleheader loss Thursday at Ruidoso by scores of 20-1 and 13-3. The Warriors swamped the Rattlers (3-12, 0-7) with 13 runs in the opening inning of the first game. Ruidoso totaled 26 hits during the contest, while Tucumcari had just three. Pat Garcia went 3-for-3 at the plate and scored Tucumcari’s only run in the third. Logan Sandoval was a one-man wrecking crew for Ruidoso, going 5-for-5 with a home run, a double and seven RBI. Josiah Sanchez p...
The Logan girls track team edged county rival Tucumcari for the team title Saturday at the 19-team Fox-Vixen Relays on Saturday at Fort Sumner. In boys competition, Logan’s Haden Judd won three individual events and was second in another, but the Longhorns finished runner-up in the team standings to district rival Melrose. The Lady Longhorns finished with 75 1/2 team points, while the Lady Rattlers took the runner-up spot with 53 points. The Logan girls had just one individual champion — Makinlee Judd in the 100-meter hurdles in a time of 17.4...
The Logan softball team swept a district doubleheader at Pecos by scores of 22-2 and 23-2 on Friday. In the opener, Logan pitcher Zaiyana Grijalva struck out six in three innings and went 2-for-2 with two walks and four runs scored. In the second game, Brookel Smith went 4-for-4 for the Lady Longhorns with two doubles and seven RBI. In the second game, Grijalva struck out six batters again and went 3-for-3 from the plate with three runs scored and two RBI. Kara Bibbs had three RBI and cracked a double that missed being a home run by inches....
The region’s 911 center took another step to moving into new headquarters when it hired an engineer to oversee the transition. The Tucumcari/Quay Regional Emergency Communications Board voted Wednesday to hire WHPacific of Albuquerque, aka NV5, to be the project manager in moving the dispatch center from the Tucumcari Police Department to the former Bob’s Budget Pharmacy building at 511 S. Second St. The contract’s cost would be $51,804, which county manager Daniel Zamora said was below the threshold for more stringent procurement rules for c...
New Mexico’s governor last week announced the appointment of Heidi Adams as district attorney for the 10th Judicial District. Adams’ appointment was effective April 15, according to a news release from the governor’s office. The 10th Judicial District serves Quay, Harding and De Baca counties. Adams, who lives in rural Tucumcari, had served as chief deputy district attorney at the 10th Judicial District since 2015, prosecuting misdemeanor and felony cases. Adams’ appointment to be the region’s district attorney had been expected. Her predecess...
The Mesalands Community College board of trustees during a special meeting last week approved a memorandum of understanding with the Office of the State Auditor regarding the fiscal-year 2023 audit. The audit, which also will cover the college’s foundation, will cost the college $98,280, according to the document. Mesalands interim president Allen Moss said approving the pact could have waited until the board’s next meeting on April 30, but officials “don’t want to be seen as dragging our feet” regarding the audit. The Office of the State Audit...
New Mexico Supreme Court Justice David K. Thomson last Wednesday was sworn in as chief justice of the court. The justice was elected by his colleagues on the five-member court and will serve a two-year term. He succeeded Justice C. Shannon Bacon, who had served as chief justice since 2022. "I am honored and privileged to assume the leadership of the state's judicial branch of government," Thomson said. "I am grateful to work with all of our committed judges, court staff and judicial partners to...
The Tucumcari Public Schools board during a special meeting Monday evening voted unanimously to hire Carl Marano to be the district's next superintendent. Marano, an assistant superintendent at Santa Fe Public Schools, has family ties to Tucumcari. His mother and brother live in the city, and his father Richard was the public-address announcer for years at Rattler football games before his death in 2021. Marano will replace Aaron McKinney, who retired on Jan. 1 after 18 years of leading the...
A federal grand jury on Thursday added criminal charges against a South Carolina man accused of fatally shooting a New Mexico State Police officer west of Tucumcari last month. The grand jury returned an indictment on Jaremy Alexander Smith, 33, on charges of carjacking resulting in death, causing death by the discharge of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, kidnapping resulting in death, being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm, possession of a stolen firearm and interstate transport of a stolen vehicle. If...
Nearly 2,000 Xcel Energy customers in Tucumcari lost power for almost 90 minutes on Friday night. Wes Reeves of Xcel stated in an email Saturday the outage was caused by a damaged line connection near the Campbell Avenue substation in Tucumcari. “They were able to restore power after a repair was made,” he wrote. Reeves stated the outage lasted for 83 minutes for 1,989 customers in Tucumcari. Most of the outage was reported on the city’s east side....
The Logan High School girls powerlifting team finished third at the state meet Friday, powered by runner-up finishes from Abby Paris and Kyle Terry. San Jon’s Dakota Fisher also finished runner-up in her weight class during the meet at the Rio Rancho Events Center. The Lady Longhorns team finished with 17 points, behind runner-up Estancia’s 20 points and Class 1A-3A champion Legacy Academy’s 32 points. Legacy boasted three individual state champions. Terry, competing in the 97-pound weight class, lifted a total of 355 pounds in the bench press...
Tucumcari’s baseball team found itself on the wrong end of a no-hitter during a 12-0 district loss Saturday to visiting New Mexico Military Institute. NMMI starting pitcher Tegin Maloney struck out 10 in 4 2/3 innings. Reliever Luis Patton pitched the final one-third of the inning for the win. Collectively, Colts pitchers allowed just one walk — drawn by Juano Martinez. Tucumcari’s Paxton Smith also reached base when he was hit by a pitch. NMMI committed no errors. “NMMI is one of the best in 3A,” Tucumcari coach George Montano said. “They hav...
The Logan baseball team swept a non-district doubleheader last Tuesday from visiting Magdalena by scores of 11-1 and 14-8, extending its win streak to six. In the opener, the Longhorns (7-2) jumped to a 7-0 lead after two innings. Ace Kaeden Stoner allowed just two hits and two walks while fanning 10 during a complete game. Stoner also went 3-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBI. Brock Burns and Jace Jackson each drove in three runs. In the nightcap, Logan trailed 4-1 before rallying with six runs in the bottom of the third inning. The...
Tucumcari High School is on the hunt for its fourth head football coach in four years. Tucumcari Public Schools interim superintendent Dave Johnson confirmed last week that Tarik Embrack is not returning for a second season for the Rattlers program after being placed on administrative leave early this year. Embrack was placed on leave after Johnson was notified of an unspecified allegation in January. Johnson said an independent investigative firm examined the district's internal investigation...
Logan High School senior Kaeden Stoner signed an official letter of intent to join the Wayland Baptist University baseball program in Texas after this season. Logan Municipal Schools on Tuesday hosted a signing ceremony in the district's Performing Arts Center attended by his family, coaches and the student body. After signing the document, Stoner took off his Longhorns baseball cap and donned a WBU cap. Stoner, a four-year varsity player, has played a key role in two Class 1A championships and...
Logan scored its first victory over Santa Rosa in almost five years with a district doubleheader split last Monday. The Lady Longhorns won the first game 17-16 against the Lady Lions in extra innings. Trailing 16-14 after the top of the ninth inning, they rallied for three runs in the bottom half of the inning to win it. Marilyn Moreno, who went 4-for-5 during the game, delivered a two-run single to win it. Moreno totaled four RBI. Bella Coronado went 2-for-3 with three walks, two doubles and an RBI. Logan pitcher Zaiyana Grijalva struck out...
Jack Huffman of Michigan is walking across the country to raise awareness and money for disabled veterans, but his second takeaway from the journey is the generosity from fellow Americans. Huffman on Thursday had trodded 60 miles east from Santa Rosa and made it into Tucumcari that evening. During a phone interview from a room donated by the Motel Safari, Huffman had just eaten a meal given to him from Watson's BBQ. He said such kindness has been "incredible" since he began his "Sundog Run" to W...
Several Tucumcari High School athletes finished third individually at the 17-team West Las Vegas Track & Field Invitational on Saturday. Luis Archuleta finished third in the boys triple jump with a distance of 38 feet, 9 inches. He also finished fifth in the boys high jump with a height of 5-6. July Lafferty finished third in the javelin throw, with an effort of 88-10. Kirksey Smith became a third-place finisher in the girls shot put with a distance of 28-2. The Rattlers’ 400-meter relay team finished third with a time of 47.18 seconds. J...
The Logan Municipal Schools board approved a resolution opposing the state Public Education Department’s 180-day instruction rule change that would effectively end the four-day week at many rural schools. The resolution, passed last Monday, also authorizes superintendent Dennis Roch to support litigation that would challenge the PED’s rule change. “There is a profound concern that these changes will lead to a loss of local control over educational decisions and undermine the unique needs and successful practices of our rural school distr...
A sheriff’s agency in South Carolina announced 17 arrest warrants for a man suspected last month of killing a paramedic, then fatally shooting a New Mexico State Police officer near Tucumcari. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office stated in a news release Friday that Jaremy Smith, 33, of Marion, South Carolina, has been charged in the kidnapping and killing of South Carolina paramedic Phonesia Machado-Fore. The office stated the warrants are for these charges: — Murder — Kidnapping — Carjacking — First-degree burglary (two counts) — Possession of...
The New Mexico Environment Department announced it has submitted applications for federal grants to establish three heavy-duty charging stations and mobile hydrogen refueling stations for long-haul freight along the Interstate 40 corridor, including in Tucumcari. The approximately $250 million requested in the grant applications to the U.S. Environmental Projection Agency would be part of the Zero40 corridor, with additional charging stations in the Gallup area and one in Bernalillo and Sandoval counties. The Tucumcari site will offer clean...
Haisley Huffman won two individual events and finished runner-up in another as the Tucumcari girls track team finished a strong second Saturday at the Mario Martinez Qualifier meet at Fort Sumner. The Lady Rattlers finished with 60 points, behind only Class 1A defending champion Melrose at the 13-team meet. Huffman, a senior, easily won the long jump with a distance of 16 feet, 7 3/4 inches and the triple jump with an effort of 35-8. She is the defending Class 3A champion in both events. She also was a member of the winning 400-meter relay...
