Serving the High Plains

Articles from the August 24, 2022 edition


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  • Pipeline entity files flurry of petitions against landowners

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Aug 24, 2022

    A regional entity that seeks to build a 120-mile water pipeline from Ute Lake has filed 17 legal filings against landowners in Quay County – including the county’s road commissioner – to seek access to the properties and inspect them before condemnation proceedings. Kameron Barnett, a principal for the Harmon, Barnett & Morris law firm in Clovis that represents the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority and its planned pipeline, admitted in a phone interview last week that the number of such filings was unusually high. But he said that...

  • TPS board declines to impose phone policy

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Aug 24, 2022

    The Tucumcari Public School board last week declined to implement a cellphone-use policy after apparently being satisfied with administrators’ varying approaches to students with their devices. Board members heard each principal's rules regarding cellphones during a July meeting and an Aug. 15 meeting. Elementary school principal Tonya Hodges said pupils there are required to keep phones in their lockers or backpacks. Middle school principal Lendall Borden said it adopted a more lenient cellphone policy during the start of the previous s...

  • MCC breaks ground on remodel project

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Aug 24, 2022

    Mesalands Community College on Thursday held a ceremonial groundbreaking for a $1.2 million remodel of its Academic and Student Success Center the college's president said would be "a major turning point" for the institution. About 60 people attended the event on the west side of the center, also known as Building A on the campus. Officials from Mesalands, City of Tucumcari and architect Melissa Walker of the Parkhill, Smith and Cooper firm of Amarillo that is leading the project held...

  • County sees steep drop in COVID-19 cases

    Staff report|Aug 24, 2022

    As quickly as coronavirus cases rose in early August, they dropped last week. Quay County COVID-19 cases totaled 15 last week, compared to 67 during the previous week reported by the New Mexico Department of Health when the area briefly became the state’s hotspot for the disease. In response to the drop-off, the COVID Act Now website on Friday upgraded Quay County from “high” to “medium” risk of community spread of the disease. Neighboring counties of Curry, Roosevelt, De Baca, San Miguel, Harding and Union were in the low-risk zone. Guadalupe...

  • Arguments on Griner case examined

    Gordon Runyan, Religion columnist|Aug 24, 2022

    My last article here, about the injustice done to WNBA player Brittney Griner, resulted in a few angry responses. These were not responses to me personally, but to the friend who posted it on his social media. All of them, ironically, displayed the very biblical ignorance I suggested the average, Evangelical believer exhibits. One man accused me of not caring that Griner was in flagrant violation of the Bible’s commandments concerning sexuality. His point was that since she’s a sinner in this area over here, then whatever comes her way in anoth...

  • County OKs economic development plan

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Aug 24, 2022

    Quay County Commissioners on Monday unanimously approved an economic development plan that would make state funding available for some businesses in unincorporated parts of the county. County manager Daniel Zamora, who recommended passage of the ordinance that sets up the plan, said the measure is similar to what the City of Tucumcari has now. He said implementing an economic development plan would make rural businesses in the county eligible for Local Economic Development Act grant funds. Patrick Vanderpool, executive director of the Greater...

  • Health council to offer overdose-reversal training

    Staff report|Aug 24, 2022

    The Quay County Health Council has scheduled two training sessions on how to use Narcan, a drug that can reverse potentially fatal overdoses of fentanyl, Oxycodone and other opioids. The first session will be at 12:15 p.m. Sept. 1 at the Tucumcari Railroad Depot. The second will be 5:30 p.m. Sept. 13 at the Quay County Extension Service Office at 216 E. Center St. through the side door. The council also is offering the training via Zoom videoconference. Those who want to watch by Zoom should call the council at (575) 815-4575 for the link. Trai...

  • Pages past - Aug. 24

    Aug 24, 2022

    On this date ... 1972: Tucumcari native Donald Greer, 19, died in an automobile accident near El Paso, Texas, on Interstate 10. Three other people — many of them about to enroll at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces — were injured in the car when the driver lost control of the vehicle and it tumbled down a steep slope. Services for Greer will be Friday at Dunn Funeral Chapel in Tucumcari. — Thomas Makley Grissom, 47, of Nara Visa was bound over in district court on a murder charge during a preliminary hearing. Grissom pleaded not guilt...

  • Calendar - Aug. 24

    Aug 24, 2022

    Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Saturday — Down at the Depot. This event will feature live music, food trucks, arts and crafts booths and an open-mike night in the Tucumcari Historic Railroad Depot near Second and Main streets. Festivities begin at 4 p.m. • Sept. 2 — Logan Labor Day Weekend Street Dance. Gate opens at 7:30 p.m., with music by Ryan Culwell and The Damn Quails at 8. The event also will include a food truck, concession stand and cornhole tournament. Admission at the gate is $10 for adults, $5 for...

  • Menus - Aug. 24

    Aug 24, 2022

    The Tucumcari Senior Center and Logan Senior Center also offer grab-and-go meals to those who qualify. Those interested should call the Tucumcari facility at 575-461-2307 or the Logan facility at 575-487-2287 for more information. Tucumcari schools Wednesday – Breakfast: Bacon and cheese frittata cup, toast, string cheese, blueberry muffin, banana, orange juice, skim or 1% milk; Lunch: Ham and cheese chef salad, teriyaki chicken, brown rice, roasted butternut squad, Oriental vegetables, pineapple, skim, 1% of chocolate skim milk. Thursday ...

  • Police blotter - Aug. 24

    Aug 24, 2022

    These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Aug. 15 to Aug. 21: Monday — 12:39 a.m.: Vandalism at South First Street and East Delk Avenue, Tucumcari. — 8:44 a.m.: Littering at Quay Road 65 and Allen Lane, Tucumcari. — 10 a.m.: Lost property in 2600 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 10:02 a.m.: Accident with injuries in 33400 block of Interstate 40 east, Tucumcari. — 11:28 a.m.: Reckless driving in 200 block of East Delk Avenue, Tucumcari. — 12:07 p.m.: Property damage in 4100 block of Qu...

  • Jail log - Aug. 24

    Aug 24, 2022

    These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Aug. 18 to Aug. 21: -- Drury Jay Kinkade, 58, Tucumcari, contempt of court. -- Fatima Rivas, 45, Tucumcari, contempt of court. -- Francisca Donovan, 43, Tucumcari, breaking and entering and criminal damage to property (under $1,000). -- Ricardo Chavez, 44, Tucumcari, two counts of contempt of court. -- Neil VanWyck, 44, Tucumcari, no evidence of registration, driving while license suspended o revoked and no insurance. -- Caroline Gay Bailey, 54, San Jon, criminal trespass...

  • Visa delays only hurt US image and economy

    Bloomberg News, Syndicated content|Aug 24, 2022

    A Colombian family hoping to visit Disney World right now might have to wait more than two years to get their visas. The same goes for a Nigerian investor looking to close a funding round in Silicon Valley. Around the world, delays in visa processing are preventing scores of foreigners from coming to the U.S. — hurting the economy, sapping investment and undermining America’s image. Fixing the problem demands a more forceful and creative response than the U.S. government has mustered thus far. While processing times vary greatly from con...

  • Letter to the editor - Aug. 24

    Aug 24, 2022

    Likely to be hard to staff a hospital If you build it, he will come … that was the line in the movie “Field of Dreams.” It doesn’t necessarily work that way when the topic is building a new hospital. We see more and more news stories about smaller towns trying creative ideas to attract people. But when reporters return to see the success of the ideas, they find only minor impacts. Reality is that small towns are losing populations, not experiencing a population boom. And on the evening news, we see stories about how hard it is for small towns t...

  • Government not worth trade-off

    Kent McManigal, Local columnist|Aug 24, 2022

    Do you believe you need to be governed? I mean you, as an individual. If you didn’t feel like government was watching over your shoulder all the time, would you steal, kidnap, or murder? I’m betting you wouldn’t. Neither would I. If you’re saying you would commit crimes if not for government, I’m guessing you commit crimes anyway. By “crimes” I’m not talking about the counterfeit “crimes” that are only called crimes because government made up an arbitrary rule that says so. I’m speaking of acts that have a specific individual victim who...

  • State-ranked Jal blasts Rattlers in opener

    Staff report|Aug 24, 2022

    Jal came into its home-opening game ranked second in the Class 2A coaches poll, and it largely justified it during a 65-0 drubbing Thursday of a young and inexperienced Tucumcari team. The game ended at halftime due to the mercy rule. The Panthers ran only 11 offensive plays but scored touchdowns on six. Jacob Lujan scored three rushing touchdowns, and quarterback Alexavier Carreon ran for two TDs and threw for another. The besieged Rattlers committed seven turnovers, logged only one first down (on a Jal penalty) and moved the ball past...

  • Logan blasts Alamo Navajo in grid opener

    Staff report|Aug 24, 2022

    Logan’s defense scored four touchdowns on interception returns during a 74-0 season-opening rout Saturday of host Alamo Navajo in eight-man football action. The game near Magdalena ended at halftime due to the mercy rule. The Longhorns, ranked sixth in the state in eight-man football in the most recent coaches poll, romped to a 44-0 lead after just one quarter. Logan head coach Dwayne Roberts said his team played well but admitted Alamo Navajo was overmatched. “You couldn’t tell a whole lot,” he said. “We were a lot better team. The kids all...

  • Tucumcari fields full boys team for cross country

    Staff report|Aug 24, 2022

    New Tucumcari cross country coach Tim Clark apparently made a successful pitch to the boys in his high school to participate in the sport. The gist is, if you go out for cross country, it will get you in better shape for other sports. As a result, the Rattlers will take seven runners on its boys team when it opens its season at the Clovis Invitational on Friday afternoon at Ned Houk Park. Clark took over for previous coach Gary Hittson when he was tapped as an assistant football coach under new THS head coach Donnie Garcia. Last season,...

  • San Jon spikers fall in season opener

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Aug 24, 2022

    SAN JON - The host Lady Coyotes struggled with their serve-receive game during a season-opening volleyball loss Saturday against Roy-Mosquero, but a come-from-behind win in the first set may have provided a sliver of hope for the rest of the year. The Lady Pirates had more frontline firepower and depth in their lineup, and they often showed it during their 21-25, 25-10, 25-7, 25-11 non-district victory. It looked as if it was going to be more of a dogfight when the Lady Coyotes, down 7-15 in...