Serving the High Plains

Articles from the September 7, 2022 edition


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  • New city boss: 'I see things that need to be done'

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Sep 7, 2022

    Paula Chacon said she loved her business specialist job at the 10th Judicial Circuit in Tucumcari, where she had been employed for more than 20 years. But when she learned earlier this summer about an opening for city manager at the City of Tucumcari, she applied for it, indicating she was motivated by what she described as a sense of duty. "I care about Tucumcari; I'm from Tucumcari," Chacon said during an interview in her office in City Hall last week. "I genuinely care about the future of...

  • Cases stay low; clinic preps for boosters

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    Quay County’s new cases of coronavirus continued to be at a low and stable level last week. Also, the administrator of Tucumcari health clinic said she expected a shipment of new COVID-19 vaccination booster shots by next week. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved those updated boosters. The county’s COVID-19 cases totaled 14 last week, compared to 15 during each of the previous two weeks as reported by the New Mexico Department of Health. That’s a far cry from early August, when the county saw 67 cases in one week, the h...

  • Theater back in business

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Sep 7, 2022

    Early in Thursday night's screening of "Hell or High Water," applause spontaneously erupted from many in the audience as they saw the film's bank robbers drive a getaway car on what they recognized as Second Street in downtown Tucumcari. Those moviegoers could very well have been also cheering the reopening of the historic Odeon Theatre, which showed a film for the first time in almost 2 1/2 years after COVID-19 shutdowns and needed repairs and renovations. Hundreds of people attended the free...

  • Pipeline authority tries to mend fences

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Sep 7, 2022

    SAN JON - Officials with the Eastern New Mexico Water Utility Authority, the agency in charge of building a nearly 100-mile water pipeline from Ute Lake, conveyed a genial tone during a town hall-style meeting about the project Aug. 29. However, several Quay County landowners became testy with those officials, especially with the process of the authority gaining easements and how their land would be restored after the project is finished. The Clovis-based ENMWUA billed the meeting at the San...

  • Church discipline is up to you

    Gordon Runyan, Religion columnist|Sep 7, 2022

    When God established his own nation, Israel, the system of government he installed, had no legislature (since it already had the law of God) and no executive branch (someone authorized to use force and coercion to control behavior). Instead, regular people were to govern themselves as individuals and families under the simple code we call the Ten Commandments. When this self-government failed, and actual crimes were committed, there was a bottom-up system of appeals courts that would try the case. The New Testament’s rules concerning the c...

  • Hoping to keep walking in echo of father's footsteps

    Patti Dobson, Religion columnist|Sep 7, 2022

    Growing up, we were taught to always do the right thing, no matter how difficult. We were taught that if we succeeded in something but did so by being dishonest or causing harm to another person or their reputation, we failed, and our credibility took a hit. Dad didn’t take himself too seriously, but he was very serious about being a dad. He taught us to treat people with respect, to try to find the good in everything, and everyone. He taught us to forgive, to love, to brush ourselves off and keep trying. He taught us to forge our own path, t...

  • MCC board OKs bid for new museum storage building

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    The Mesalands Community College board of trustees approved a low bid for a new storage building for its dinosaur museum during a brief special meeting Thursday. College President Gregg Busch requested the purchase requisition of $129,578.57 to Daniel Construction Co. of Tucumcari to replace the destroyed Mesalands Dinosaur Museum storage building on Adams Street. Busch said the new structure will be paid for with an insurance settlement. A severe storm in August 2021 ripped the roof from the previous building. The other bids were $140,995 from...

  • Pages past - Sept. 7

    Sep 7, 2022

    On this date ... 1972: Ellen Peabody, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ted Peabody, was crowned Pinata Queen by the 1971 queen, Kim Evetts, during a pageant at the Tucumcari Convention Center on Lake Street. A sellout crowd of more than 600 people attended the ceremony. A total of 19 girls competed for the crown. • A 6-year-old Tucumcari girl was hospitalized after being knocked down by a car on East Tucumcari Boulevard. She was listed in fair condition at Trigg Memorial Hospital. • Pete Domenici, a candidate for U.S. Senate, was scheduled to be at...

  • Menus - Sept. 7

    Sep 7, 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, whole-grain biscuit, cinni mini, banana, apple juice, skim or 1% milk; Lunch: Ham and cheese chef salad, chicken Alfredo, green beans, cucumber, ranch dressing, apple, skim, chocolate skim, 1% or strawberry milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Sausage brea...

  • Calendar - Sept. 7

    Sep 7, 2022

    Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Saturday — Paws and Claws Animal Rescue is offering a six-week obedience class starting Saturday. Weekly classes meet at 9 and 10 a.m. Fee for the full six-week class is $30, payable before Sept. 10. Enrollment is capped at 10 dog/handler teams per class. All proceeds go to Paws and Claws. Sign up at https://forms.gle/SBAZ1Ds9k4F5h2L67. • Sept. 17 — Free Museum Day. Take part in free admission at the Mesalands Dinosaur Museum, Tucumcari Railroad Museum, Tucumcari Historical Museum a...

  • Event shows virtual restoration of murals

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    A group of New Mexico Highlands University students and an artist who specializes in "augmented restoration" showed how a faded advertising mural and other images that long had been covered were brought to life in vivid detail on Friday night. Craig Winslow and five students from Highlands' School of Art spent about 12 hours in Tucumcari examining the faded Center Gift & Frame Shop mural created years ago by Tucumcari sign artist Rudy Gonzales on the west side of the Arteformz building, near...

  • Trust, maturity sorely lacking in today's politics

    Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Syndicated content|Sep 7, 2022

    Some would say the 20th century ended at Y2K — midnight on Jan. 1, 2000. Others would say that, as a historical phenomenon, it extended until the shock of Sept. 11, 2001. And others still might cite the Great Recession or even the election of Donald Trump as the real end of the long 20th century. Whichever one you subscribe to, Aug. 30, 2022, should be considered the end of the end — the death of the last personal link to the defining world conflict of the latter half of the 20th century. It is the day Mikhail Gorbachev, the last premier of...

  • Decide what's most important to you

    Kent McManigal, Local columnist|Sep 7, 2022

    Do you only care about some things because you’ve been manipulated into caring? There are many things you can’t change about the world. Caring too much about those is going to make your life worse. You could lose your mind obsessing over things you can’t control, even if they are important. Should anyone care that the president gave a more dark and divisive speech than usual? Will caring about it accomplish anything? Are there other things you’re being told to care about, but which you probably shouldn’t? If climate change is real, if it is cau...

  • NM Democrats still running strong

    Tom McDonald, Syndicated content|Sep 7, 2022

    The governor is leading in her bid for re-election, as are other Democrats running statewide races. New Mexicans see crime and inflation as the biggest issues facing the state, and they want judges to have more authority to keep violent crime suspects in jail. They also want more gun control, not less, and believe abortion should be legal in New Mexico with certain restrictions. That and more can be gleaned from the latest polling done by Research & Polling Inc. from the Albuquerque Journal. Any surprises there? Certainly not for me, but it...

  • Rattlers suffer 54-6 loss at Loving

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    The youthful Tucumcari football team suffered another loss, but it scored its first touchdown of the season during 54-6 non-district loss Friday at Loving. The Rattlers’ first score of the year occurred in the first quarter after the Falcons scored their second touchdown. On the ensuring kickoff, Daymion Urioste found a seam down the sideline and streaked to a 78-yard score. “We got some good blocking on the front line, he got around, got outside and took it to the house,” Tucumcari first-year coach Donnie Garcia said. “Any way to score i...

  • Tucumcari runners compete at Invite

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    Tucumcari’s runners all saw improvements in their times during Saturday morning’s Lovington Invitational compared their previous week’s season-opening meet, but it didn’t field a full boys squad at the six-team event. The top runner for the Rattlers was eighth-grader Creed Owen, who finished the three-mile course in 23 minutes, 16 seconds. Tucumcari first-year coach Tim Clark said he didn’t have final results available but said Owen finished out of the top 10 at the event. Other Tucumcari boys runners were Alex Bueno De La O (23:28), Logan Laf...

  • Lady Lions repeat as champs

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Sep 7, 2022

    Logan won the hard-fought battle against Tucumcari but lost the war Saturday night during the Tucumcari Invitational volleyball tournament. A few hours after a two-hour, five-set semifinal victory over the host team, an apparently less-sharp Lady Longhorns squad fell 18-25, 14-25, 16-25 to state-ranked Santa Rosa. The Lady Lions (6-0) captured their second straight title at the Tucumcari Invite and saw four players make the all-tourney team, including Most Valuable Player Daelyn Pacheco. Logan (...

  • Longhorns secure win with second-half surge

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Sep 7, 2022

    LOGAN - You wouldn't know it from the final score, but Menaul trailed Logan by only two touchdowns during the second period of Friday's non-district game. The Longhorns responded to the challenge with four unanswered scores in the second half to secure a 54-14 victory in eight-man football action. Logan (3-0) largely dominated despite six turnovers against the Panthers (1-2). Logan quarterback Brock Burns passed for 130 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another 69 yards. Devin Kotara and...

  • Subway in Tucumcari to close after lease ends

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    The Subway restaurant inside the Circle K convenience store at 2624 S. First St. in Tucumcari lost its lease and was scheduled to close at the end of the business day on Tuesday, Sept. 6. Diane Morency, co-owner of the restaurant with her husband Jean for 17 years, said in a telephone interview last week she had the opportunity to look for another location in town but decided to semi-retire instead and concentrate their efforts at their other Subway store in Logan. “I’m on my feet at the store for a lot of hours, and I’m ready to slow down...

  • Jail log - Sept. 7

    Sep 7, 2022

    These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Aug. 29 to Sept. 2: — David Royce Shivers, 36, Logan, two counts of contempt of court. — Victoria M. Macias, 47, Tucumcari, larceny (firearm), non-residential burglary and possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon. — Casey Cortese, 33, Fort Sumner, charge not listed. — Jeremie Jack Oglesby, 40, Tucumcari, battery against a household member. — Guillermo Munoz, 30, Tucumcari, aggravated stalking (violation of protective order), violation of restraini...

  • Police blotter - Sept. 7

    Sep 7, 2022

    These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Aug. 29 to Sept. 4: Monday — 1:05 a.m.: Vandalism in 2600 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 7:11 a.m.: Trespassing in 2600 block of South First Street, Tucumcari. — 8:04 a.m.: Property damage in 400 block of East Main Street, San Jon. — 10:20 a.m.: Property damage in 300 block of South Third Street, Tucumcari. — 1:33 p.m.: Search warrant in 200 block of East Estrella Avenue, Tucumcari. — 1:38 p.m.: Runaway juvenile in 4400 block of Quay Road 6...

  • Teenager's body recovered in Ute Lake after drowning

    Staff report|Sep 7, 2022

    New Mexico State Police officers are investigating a teen’s drowning at Ute Lake in Logan. According to a news release, state police were sent at 9:53 a.m. Monday to Ute Lake for a 17-year-old boy who had gone into the water and not resurfaced. The state police dive team spent the day searching, suspended the search as darkness approached and resumed it at 6 a.m. Tuesday. About 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, the boy was found and was pronounced dead by the Office of the Medical Investigator. Because he was younger than 18, state police stated they will n...