Serving the High Plains

Articles from the April 19, 2023 edition


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  • Oversight of biz startup funds questioned

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Apr 19, 2023

    The director of the Tucumcari’s economic development arm said during a city commission work session Thursday that no reports on a state grant program for small businesses have been produced since at least 2018, and he wondered whether those funds were being used for their intended purposes. Tucumcari’s city manager, however, said after the meeting she wasn’t worried about the possible misuse of those funds and regularly reported that fund’s balance since being hired in August. She also plans to give a more complete report at the economi...

  • Logan schools' facility plan may contain security upgrades

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    Improvements to Logan Municipal Schools’ security and science labs look likely when the district updates its facility master plan for the next five years. Paul Aguilar of Consolidated School Support Services told the school board during its regular meeting April 10 that initial survey results of teachers, staff and community members indicate they want those upgrades, especially with school security in the wake of mass shootings. Aguilar said the campus is vulnerable to intrusions, especially the front entrance because of the lack of views f...

  • Route 66 association awards chamber

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Apr 19, 2023

    The New Mexico Route 66 Association on Friday presented the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce and executive director Scott Crotzer its annual Heritage Award for renovating and beautifying the nearly 60-year-old, midcentury-style building. In addition to the Heritage Award plaque, association President Melissa Lea Beasley-Lee gave Crotzer and the chamber a one-year complementary business membership, a listing in the association's quarterly magazine and a "Historic New Mexico U.S. 66"...

  • State's $500 rebates will go out in mid-June

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    New Mexico’s governor announced last week the state will begin sending out the newest round of tax rebates in mid-June, putting more than $673 million back into the pockets of New Mexico residents. The state Taxation and Revenue Department will send rebates of $500 to single filers or $1,000 to married taxpayers filing jointly, heads of household and surviving spouses. Any New Mexico resident who filed a 2021 New Mexico Personal Income Tax return and who was not declared as a dependent on another taxpayer’s return will receive the rebates aut...

  • Calendar - April 19

    Apr 19, 2023

    • Saturday — Tucumcari Rotary Club’s Surf and Turf Dinner. The event includes a dinner at the Tucumcari Elks Lodge from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and a dance featuring Limited Edition. Tickets are $40 and are available at go.rallyup.com/trsurfandturf. Proceeds will benefit the Rotary Club’s scholarship and youth leadership programs. • April 28-30 — Chuckwagon Cookoff at Cottonwood Campground at Ute Las State Park. See western-themed meals cooked the old-fashioned way. • May 6 — Cinco de Mayo Celebration. This age 21+ event from 8 p.m. to midnight at the...

  • Pages past - April 19

    Apr 19, 2023

    Crystal Lake Manufacturing of Alabama announced it purchased the broom and mop operations of Ingle Brothers Pacific, which included plants in Tucumcari and Amarillo. Crystal Lake stated it would continue to operate the Tucumcari plant, with Stanley D. Koschnick as general manager of what will be known as National Broom of New Mexico. Koschnick said the Tucumcari plant would be built up to 40 to 50 employees, with about $1 million in annual sales. — A sell-out crowd of more than 300 people attended the first annual Ute Lake Bicentennial B...

  • Menus - April 19

    Apr 19, 2023

    Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: French toast sticks, syrup cup, assorted cereal, graham crackers, fresh mixed fruit, orange juice, skim, 1% or strawberry milk; Lunch: Turkey and cheese sandwich, hamburger steak with gravy, breadstick, baked potato, fresh broccoli, baby carrots, ranch dressing, fresh banana, strawberry, 1%, chocolate skim or skim milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Sausage breakfast pizza, assorted cereal, graham crackers, apple juice, orange juice, skim, 1% or strawberry milk; Lunch: Turkey and cheese sandwich, che...

  • Give out of your inward abundance

    Apr 19, 2023

    But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you. — Jesus Christ, in Luke 11:41 This puzzling sentence appears in a discussion about the system of ritual washing that the first-century Jews practiced as a matter of tradition. There were detailed procedures for washing this and that which, they believed, protected their spiritual status. These requirements kept them from becoming defiled, or “unclean.” They had developed these traditions themselves over generations. God had not commanded them. (Funny how t...

  • Melting snowpack won't greatly boost lake levels

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Apr 19, 2023

    Don’t expect the levels of Conchas Lake to rise much because of melting snowpack in the mountains of northern New Mexico and Colorado. Unlike wide swaths of California and Arizona that have seen record snowfall, the Canadian River basin that feeds the lake has experienced snowpack only 8% higher than normal through April 1, according to data compiled by manager Franklin McCasland during the Arch Hurley Conservancy District’s meeting on April 11. Snowpack this winter is better than the previous year, which was 25% below normal. But McC...

  • Third-party efforts likely to fail again in race for president

    Los Angeles Times, Syndicated content|Apr 19, 2023

    It’s the year before a presidential election, which means it’s once again time for a group to call for a unity ticket of a Democratic and a Republican for president and vice president or for an independent candidate to avoid the dysfunction of the parties entirely. The current effort by the No Labels group to get a presidential ballot line in all 50 states for 2024 is being treated as something of a novelty, but we’ve seen something like this in most modern presidential elections. Just four years ago Unite America was proposing a bipar...

  • Up to us to discern truth in media

    Tom McDonald, Syndicated content|Apr 19, 2023

    When it comes to Big Media news, all eyes this week will be on the Dominion lawsuit against Fox News as it goes to trial in a Delaware courthouse. It’s one of the most significant media trials in decades, with ramifications that strike at the heart of what we call a “free press.” Somewhere in Journalism 101, or maybe it was 201, I learned that a news reporting operation can get away with not telling the truth if it was done without malice. To prosecute a news outlet for an unintended error in reporting would have a chilling effect on those...

  • Newsom would be disaster in White House

    Michael Reagan, Syndicated content|Apr 19, 2023

    My governor Gavin Newsom has finally found an excuse to get out of the state he’s been tyrannizing for the last three years. He’s going around to red states like Florida, telling them how they’re the ones that are doing everything wrong. While Newsom is AWOL, which actually is a good thing for the over-taxed people of California, the state continues to fall apart. Its great cities continue to suffer from high crime and homelessness. Its budget deficit for 2023 is $22 billion. And so many people are moving away that California is leading the c...

  • Logan FFA team wins state competition

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    Logan’s FFA chapter saw five of its teams finish in the top 10 of the recent New Mexico State Career Development Event Competition, including one that won the state title and will advance to nationals in May. Logan’s Land team of April Landsdell, Justin Johnson, Robert Evans and Javida Roberts earned first place at the Las Cruces competition and will compete in Oklahoma next month for the national title. In the land competition, students evaluated a plot of land for its best use, whether it be for farming or grazing. Logan’s Pasture and Range...

  • Tucumcari DAR presents annual awards

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    The Tucumcari chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution organization presented its annual awards to residents during its regular meeting Friday at the Pow Wow Restaurant. Connie Loveland, executive director of Tucumcari MainStreet, received the DAR chapter’s Community Service Award. Presenters Ann Hall and Janet Garcia read a lengthy list of Loveland’s accomplishments since she took over the city’s MainStreet program in mid-2019, including finding a buyer for the vacant Kmart building that soon will be converted into a Fast TV Netwo...

  • Judd wins four events at Fort Sumner meet

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    Logan track and field star Haden Judd continued to excel at several events Saturday at the 18-team Fox/Vixen Relays at Fort Sumner. Judd, a sophomore, won the 100-meter dash (0:11.39 seconds), 200-meter dash (0:23.01), 300-meter hurdles (0:40.51) and pole vault (12 feet). Judd also finished third in the triple jump (39-7 1/2). Aydin Kotara also won the 400-meter dash in 0:53.47 for Logan, and he finished third in the 100-meter dash in 12 seconds flat. Logan finished runner-up at the meet, as did the Lady Longhorns. Both of Melrose’s teams w...

  • Logan sweeps Grady, stays unbeaten

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Apr 19, 2023

    Logan's baseball team stayed undefeated after a district doubleheader sweep of visiting Grady on Friday, with both games shortened by the 10-run mercy rule. The Longhorns stymied the Bronchos 11-1 in the opener, then stopped them 12-2 in the nightcap. Logan, the two-time defending Class 1A champion and ranked No. 1 in the division, improved to 12-0 overall and 3-0 in district play. Grady fell to 6-6, 0-3. In the first game, the Longhorns scored three runs in the opening inning on two hits, a...

  • Rattlers drop games to Ruidoso, East Mountain

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    Tucumcari’s baseball team still was looking for its first district win since 2018 after a doubleheader loss Saturday against Ruidoso. The Warriors won the first game 11-2, then dominated in the nightcap by a 19-0 score. Ruidoso improved to 8-7 overall and remained in contention for the district title with a 6-3 mark. The Warriors, ranked ninth in Class 3A by MaxPreps.com, were only a half-game or one game behind Sandia Prep, East Mountain and New Mexico Military Institute in the district standings for first place. Tucumcari fell to 4-13, 0-9. T...

  • THS softball team still looking for district win

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    Tucumcari's softball team swept a doubleheader last week against Clayton but still was searching for its first district victory of the season after losses to Dexter and Ruidoso. Host Ruidoso conquered the Lady Rattlers 18-8 and 16-6 on Saturday. The Warriors, ranked fourth in Class 3A by MaxPreps.com, improved to 14-5 overall and took control of their district with a 7-0 mark. Dexter is in a distant second in their district at 3-2. Tucumcari fell to 8-7, 0-4. "We just couldn't keep up with...

  • Logan baseball star to attend University of the Southwest

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    Logan High School senior Park Strong announced during a recent signing ceremony at the school that he will play baseball at University of the Southwest in Hobbs on a partial scholarship. Strong, a 6-foot, 195-pound catcher, played a key role in the Longhorns winning two consecutive Class 1A baseball championships. The Longhorns also are ranked No. 1 this season, as well. Through last weekend’s games, Strong was second on the team in batting average (.581), on-base percentage (.647), stolen bases (13), hits (25), slugging percentage (.976), d...

  • Logan softball team goes 2-3

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    The Logan softball team went 2-3 last week after dropping a district doubleheader at home on Friday against Pecos. The Lady Longhorns lost the first game 15-5 and fell in the nightcap by a 20-10 score. In the first game, Broke Smith went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple and two RBI for Logan. Pitcher Charli Fuller struck out five and as a hitter reached base twice, stole three bases and scored twice. Marilyn Moreno went 2-for-3 with a double and three stolen baes. In the second game, Smith went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Logan fell to 4-9...

  • DOH cuts back on coronavirus reporting

    Staff report|Apr 19, 2023

    In another sign of the easing of the COVID-19 pandemic, the New Mexico Department of Health announced last week it was cutting back on its reports about the disease. Starting last Tuesday, the DOH said epidemiological reports covering COVID-19 would change from bi-weekly to monthly. Also, the agency’s online COVID-19 Data Dashboard will be discontinued and archived on May 11. “These changes reflect the new phase of COVID-19 that we are in today,” DOH Deputy Secretary Laura Parajon said. “We will continue to actively monitor trends related...

  • Police blotter - April 19

    Apr 19, 2023

    These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from April 10 to April 16: Monday — 12:16 a.m.: Domestic disturbance in 700 block of West Sunset Avenue, Tucumcari. — 8:02 a.m.: Arrest warrant in 200 block of North Fifth Street, Tucumcari. — 8:43 a.m.: Theft in 400 block of West Aber Street, Tucumcari. — 9:01 a.m.: Reckless driving at milepost 321, U.S. 54, Logan. — 9:57 a.m.: Property damage in 600 block of South College Street, Tucumcari. — 5:07 p.m.: Accident with injuries in 1500 block of West Tucumc...

  • Jail log - April 19

    Apr 19, 2023

    These individuals have been booked into the Quay County Detention Center from April 13 to April 15: — Gerald Holt, 67, Coon Rapids, Minnesota, driving under the influence of liquor (impaired; first offense) and criminal damage to property (over $1,000). — Michael David Moree, 41, Glenrio, probation violation. — Matthew Grant, 37, no address listed, contempt of court. — Earl D. Mondragon, 32, Tucumcari, aggravated assault (deadly weapon) and public affray. — John A. Blackmon Jr., 32, Tucumcari, two counts of felony possession of a controlle...