Serving the High Plains

Articles from the October 6, 2021 edition


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  • Q&A: Judge candidates talk issues

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    Three candidates are competing for the open Tucumcari municipal judge position in the Nov. 2 election. Early voting began this week. The previous municipal judge, Noreen Hendrickson, was appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham to magistrate judge in Tucumcari in June. She replaced Timothy O’Quinn, who resigned in April after 4 1/2 years on the bench. The candidates for the municipal judge post are Willis J. Hendrickson Jr., 80; and Christopher Maestas, 77, who both are retirees; and Tommy Snapp, 50, a disabled former corrections officer. H...

  • Complaints lead to fines, regulations

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Oct 6, 2021

    A Tucumcari woman's complaints about a driver's "extreme and bizarre" conduct prompted state regulators to issue five-figure fines to two nonemergency medical transportation companies and impose new regulations on the sector. After a two-day hearing earlier this year, the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission imposed fines of $49,210 against We Care Transportation and $21,090 against Superior Medical Transport. The PRC on Sept. 16 also issued an order that within six months, all nonemergency...

  • Trucker earns award

    Ron Warnick|Oct 6, 2021

    A pioneering Tucumcari trucker earned the Company Driver of the Year award and $25,000 during the Truckload Carriers Association's convention in Las Vegas, Nevada. Betty Aragon, 74, was announced Sept. 26 as the winner on the convention stage to cheers, whoops and shouts of "Yeah, Betty!" from fellow truckers and carriers. "Thank you, God, for giving me the strength to stand here tonight," she said at the lectern after being announced as receiving the honor. She was the first woman to receive...

  • 47 more virus cases confirmed in Quay County

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    Quay County experienced 47 more confirmed cases of coronavirus — but no deaths — last week, including five cases reported Friday. The county had reported deaths in each of the previous two weeks. Quay County’s death toll remained at 14 since the pandemic began in spring 2020. Compared to the 56 confirmed cases of COVID-19 during the previous week, the latest numbers indicated a possible slowdown in the spread of the disease in the county. Nearly all of last week’s cases were in the Tucumcari ZIP code, with two each in Logan and San Jon. Ac...

  • Advance in this critical season

    Gordan Runyan, Religion columnist|Oct 6, 2021

    We’ve begun a new series at our church, preaching through the Psalms. It’s a good time to come and get in on the ground floor. Last Sunday we walked through Psalm 1 and found it speaking to our current situation. The Psalm describes the worshiper of God, who delights in God’s Word. He is compared to a healthy, well-watered tree that bears fruit in its season and never withers. The ungodly, by contrast, walk contrary to the commandments and dry up and blow away. OK, great. That’s all right on the...

  • Bare & Wild opens at new location

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Oct 6, 2021

    Among the machines that allow Bare & Wild Creations to personalize gifts and other items, the one that got the most attention Saturday was a laser engraver that zapped a fancy message onto a pumpkin pie. "We can do anything the size of a peanut to whatever we can shove under the table," co-owner Will Sims said of the laser as it etched out a "Breeze and Autumn Leaves" message on the surface of the pie. He and his wife Debbie's business opened to the public for the first time Saturday. The Tucumc...

  • Two more colleges join CHESS

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    Two more New Mexico colleges, including Mesalands Community College, last week announced an interest in joining the Collaborative for Higher Education Shared Services, or CHESS. Mesalands and Luna Community College of Las Vegas are exploring the option of joining the nonprofit organization that works to transform the student experience and modernize administrative processes, according to a news release. CHESS was formed earlier this year by the presidents of five New Mexico colleges • Central New Mexico Community College, Clovis Community C...

  • Pages past - Oct. 6

    Oct 6, 2021

    On this date ... 1971: The Tucumcari Open tennis tournament was scheduled for Sunday at the Damon Kvols Park tennis court. Any male age 15 and younger could enter by submitting $2 and their name for the singles competition or $3 and two names for the doubles event. Trophies would be given to first through third place. Charles E. Carter was the tournament’s director. • The “famous” enchilada dinners offered by the Center Street United Methodist Church women was scheduled for Saturday. Dinners were $1.25 each and included three tortill...

  • Calendar - Oct. 6

    Oct 6, 2021

    Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Friday-Saturday — Mesalands Community College Fall Rodeo. Come see Mesalands’ nationally ranked rodeo team. The opening ceremony begins at 6 p.m. Friday, with a free slack performance at 9 a.m. Saturday. The championship performance will be at 6 p.m. Saturday. Quay County Fairgrounds, Tucumcari. • Oct. 16 — Harvest Fest 2021. This event from 10 a.m. to noon by the Table Top Cooperative closes out the Tucumcari Farmers Market season. It will include food trucks and other fun activ...

  • Menus - Oct. 6

    Oct 6, 2021

    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 461-2307 or the Logan facility at 487-2287 for more information. Tucumcari schools Wednesday — Breakfast: Breakfast burrito box, orange juice, skim or 1% milk; Lunch: Spaghetti and meat sauce, garlic toast, green beans with garlic herb butter, garden salad, ranch dressing, fresh banana, skim, 1% or chocolate skim milk. Thursday — Breakfast: Cherry frudel, fresh strawberries, apple jui...

  • Audit will only encourage lies and disruption

    Dallas Morning News, Syndicated content|Oct 6, 2021

    Thoughtful news consumers might have read last month’s announcement of an audit of the 2020 election results in four Texas counties and pondered its purpose. Why would former President Donald Trump call for such an audit after losing badly in almost 100 previous recounts, audits and lawsuits aimed at finding widespread voter fraud? Why would he make such a play in Texas, a state he won? What’s the endgame here? Serious conservatives who are willing to put principle before politics — people like Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley — know this au...

  • Helps to put human face on crime issue

    Tom McDonald, Syndicated content|Oct 6, 2021

    The other day I attended a special meeting on crime. I came away thinking that we’re actually making progress. I say that despite reports that show a sharp increase in violent crime these days. FBI data show a 25% increase in homicides nationwide in 2020, and this year is looking about as bad. The reasons are debatable. Some blame the pandemic and its economic and social disruptions; others, the continuing proliferation of guns; and still others say it’s because law enforcement agencies have been on the defensive ever since George Floyd’s murde...

  • Del Rio lie more useful than what really happened

    Rich Lowry, Syndicated content|Oct 6, 2021

    How does a stupid and ridiculous lie come to be embraced and promulgated by top officials of the United States government? Well, as it turns out, it’s easy. You start with an easily misinterpreted news photo that seemingly confirms the assumptions of progressive opponents of immigration enforcement that the agents policing our Southern border are cruel racists. Then, you work up a Twitter mob saying that the photo has captured a tableau of hideous abuse. You add open-borders advocacy organizations and civil rights groups denouncing the s...

  • Rattlers fall to Texico

    the Staff of The News|Oct 6, 2021

    TEXICO — Max Villarreal scored three touchdowns on Friday night and the struggling Texico Wolverines got back on the winning track with a 53-0 blistering of visiting Tucumcari. Texico (2-4) snapped a three-game losing streak with the rout, ending the game early in the final stanza on the NMAA’s 50-point mercy rule when Villarreal tallied from 30 yards out. He also ran in Texico’s first tally and later caught a long scoring pass from sophomore quarterback Cade Figg. Texico led 33-0 at the quarter and 47-0 at halftime against the Rattlers (1-5)...

  • Fort Sumner defeats Logan

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Oct 6, 2021

    FORT SUMNER - The Logan football team won't have an undefeated season in 2021. Fort Sumner - especially quarterback Joaquin Segura - made sure of that. Segura threw for more than 220 yards and six touchdowns and rushed for another 67 yards to power the Foxes to a 46-0 victory over the previously unbeaten Longhorns in eight-man gridiron action Friday. Clay Norman caught five of Segura's passes for 110 yards and four touchdowns in the district showdown. Though Segura would have made a Logan...

  • Logan outmatches Clovis Christian

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    LOGAN - Despite the absence of one of the Lady Longhorns' top hitters, Logan easily defeated an overmatched Clovis Christian squad 25-10, 25-12, 25-14 during the opening of district play Saturday. Logan improved to 10-3 overall, while Clovis Christian fell to 1-6. The Lady Longhorns have been dealing with the absence of hitter Rilee Nials, who injured a groin muscle in practice about two weeks ago. Such injuries are notoriously slow to heal, and coach Robert Young anticipates she might not see...

  • Mesalands rodeo team takes first

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    The Mesalands Community College men’s rodeo team captured first place and the women finished fourth during a meet Sept. 23 in Cochise, Arizona. Cooper Felipek won the bareback riding competition, Blake Afdahl won in calf roping, and Wyatt Wells won the saddle bronc riding for the Mesalands Stampede. Marco Juarez finished second in the first round of the bull riding. Andy Guzman won the short go-round in bull riding. Rachel Bartlett finished third in breakaway roping, and Shea Grogan finished sixth in goat tying. Mesalands coach Matt Hughes s...

  • PED urging schools to test for learning gaps

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    The New Mexico Public Education Department is urging all schools to test students this fall to establish a reliable baseline to combat any learning gaps that may have occurred and to guide educational catch-up efforts. Fall testing is one strategy in a $50 million suite of supports and professional development the PED is providing to districts and charter schools to address COVID-19 pandemic-related learning gaps. “We’re ready to support schools in fall testing,” Public Education Secretary designate Kurt Steinhaus said in a news release last...

  • Quay youths ribbon in expo

    Staff report|Oct 6, 2021

    Ashton Smith of Quay County earned three first-place ribbons, including Best of Breed and champion, in the poultry show at the recent Youth Small Animal Expo. Smith had the champion egg layer pen in the poultry meat and layer division. Smith’s Delaware also was named Best of Breed in the poultry large breed division and earned a first place in with a barred Plymouth Rock in the poultry large breed, as well. Other Quay County winners at the show: • Elizabeth Kanapilly, first place, New Zealand rabbit special fur; second place, New Zealand rab...

  • Jail log - Oct. 6

    Oct 6, 2021

    These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Sept. 28 to Oct. 3: • Joseph James Aragon, 35, Conchas Dam, criminal damage to property (under $1,000). • Chasity Lucero, 33, Tucumcari, contempt of court and driving while license suspended or revoked. • Justin Keith, 37, Tucumcari, breaking and entering and criminal damage to property (over $1,000). • Jocelin Leann Martinez, 37, Tucumcari, battery. • Roy Stephen, 80, Hobbs, contempt of court. • Caroline Gay Bailey, 53, San Jon, contempt of court. • Joey J. Trujillo, 38,...

  • Police blotter - Oct. 6

    Oct 6, 2021

    These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Sept. 27 to Oct. 3: Monday • 3:52 a.m.: Disturbance in 700 block of West Sunset Avenue, Tucumcari. • 10:01 a.m.: Theft at milepost 322, Interstate 40, Tucumcari. • 11:22 a.m.: Scam in 200 block of East Center Street, Tucumcari. • 2:02 p.m.: Theft in 3600 block of Quay Road 63, Tucumcari. • 2:17 p.m.: Suicide attempt in 1100 block of South Adams Street, Tucumcari. • 2:38 p.m.: Theft in 1600 block of East Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. • 3:19 p.m.: Scam in...