Serving the High Plains

Articles from the November 17, 2021 edition


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  • Tucumcari man faces charges in shooting

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Nov 17, 2021

    A Tucumcari man faces eight felony criminal charges after he was accused of shooting at city police officers Thursday following an attempted traffic stop. Records show the man ordered the driver to keep evading police while children were inside the vehicle. No one was hurt during the confrontation and subsequent arrest. According to online court documents, Lawrence P. Rivas, 26, faces these felony charges: • First-degree kidnapping; • Abuse of a child not resulting in death or great bodily harm;...

  • COVID-19 numbers jump in county

    Staff report|Nov 17, 2021

    After several weeks of relatively stable coronavirus case numbers, Quay County saw a big jump last week. Sixty cases were reported in the county last week, including a total of 38 on Thursday and Friday alone, by the New Mexico Department of Health. That compares to 20 during the previous week. The DOH combined its Thursday and Friday totals due to the Veterans Day holiday. The total number in the county since the pandemic began rose to 1,116. No confirmed COVID-19 deaths were reported in the county for a third straight week, keeping the total...

  • Officials hear standards input

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Nov 17, 2021

    State education officials got an earful — both pro and con — from constituents weighing in about proposed new social studies standards for public schools that tentatively are slated to begin next fall. The New Mexico Public Education Department held a virtual public hearing Friday afternoon to hear comments about the state’s first proposed update to social studies standards in 20 years. Public interest in the proposal is high because of the perception the standards are influenced by critical race theory, which espouses that race is a social con...

  • The Lord is my dinner host

    Gordan Runyan, Religion columnist|Nov 17, 2021

    If you’ve watched a movie that depicted a funeral in the last 40 years or so, I’d place my bet on two things. One, it was probably raining; and, two, the Scripture quoted by the clergyman was Psalm 23. I’m not sure how we got there, where Psalm 23 is associated with funerals. I’d guess it’s because verse 4 mentions “the valley of the shadow of death.” But, take another run at it, and simply read the words as they’re written. This “Shepherd Psalm” is not gloomy at all. Death is not the topic at...

  • Arch Hurley puts water truck on wishlist

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Nov 17, 2021

    The Arch Hurley Conservancy District last week placed a new water truck for fire-protection purposes on its wish list for state capital outlay funds for 2022. District manager Franklin McCasland said during the board’s regular meeting Nov. 9 that area lobbyist Clinton Harden, a former state senator, told him state revenue is so robust, the New Mexico Legislature likely will issue what are called junior monies in addition to usual capital-outlay allocations during its next session early next year. With that in mind, Harden suggested the board s...

  • Mesalands president announces veterans center plans

    Staff report|Nov 17, 2021

    Gregg Busch, president of Mesalands Community College, announced on Thursday on Veterans Day that he plans to add a Veterans Student Center at the college. The Veterans Student Center will create a special area dedicated to veterans and active-duty military and will serve as a lounge, computer lab and a location where veterans may gather to support each other and share in their military experience and collaborate on college assignments, according to a news release from the college. Jessica Gonzales will continue to assist veterans with financia...

  • Pages past - Nov. 17

    Nov 17, 2021

    On this date ... 1971: Nine show dogs owned by people from the Kansas City region escaped from a van involved in a one-vehicle accident near San Jon. Police and residents helped round up the loose canines that included three miniature Schnauzers, one Basset hound, two St. Bernards, one standard Schnauzer and one Great Dane named Sinner. The dogs had been taken to shows in New Mexico and Texas. Dr. S.J. Dowds of Tucumcari Animal Hospital cared for the dogs that were mostly uninjured except for cuts and bruises while the injured driver was...

  • Calendar - Nov. 17

    Nov 17, 2021

    Note: Events subject to change due to the COVID-19 pandemic. • Nov. 25 — Thanksgiving Day Drive-Through Dinner. The First Baptist Church again will host a drive-through Thanksgiving dinner from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in its alley at 321 E. Center St. Deliveries to shut-ins will be available. Call (575) 461-2724 before Nov. 19 to ensure to reserve your meal. • Nov. 25 — Mama T’s Road to Ruin restaurant will offer a free Thanksgiving meal from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Shut-ins in the Logan and Ute Lake area can text Tonya at (575) 403-7161 for delivery...

  • Menus - Nov. 17

    Nov 17, 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: Biscuit, jelly, chilled pears, orange juice, skim or 1% milk; Lunch: Ham and cheese chef salad, turkey and gravy, cornbread stuffing, cranberry sauce, steamed corn, breadstick, garden salad, ranch dressing, warm cinnamon apple slices, skim, 1% or chocolate skim milk. Thursday — Bre...

  • San Jon approves contract with firm

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Nov 17, 2021

    SAN JON — The San Jon Municipal Schools board last week approved a contract with an Albuquerque architectural firm to oversee repairs and improvements to school facilities, including a roof of which the project manager expressed grave concerns. The contract was awarded to Formative Architecture of Albuquerque, which will receive up to $131,200 in total services. The district pays 36.51% of that, or $47,901.12, and the state covers the rest. The project is part of the so-called “big grant” of $2.8 million the school district received in Octob...

  • 'Peaceful persuation' best way to change hearts and minds

    David Stevens, Publisher|Nov 17, 2021

    Whether you call it the “Capitol protest,” the “insurrection” or the “riot,” it seems those who entered the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 are deservedly and appropriately being punished for their actions. Most of those charged are being sentenced to probation, fines or a few weeks in jail. About two dozen have been sentenced so far. Former Clovis physician Leonard Gruppo, for example, expressed remorse and received 24 months probation and a $3,000 fine after pleading guilty to charges that he illegally entered the Capitol during the melee. That...

  • 'Green dream' an economic nightmare

    Steve Pearce, Guest columnist|Nov 17, 2021

    While Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham was in Scotland touting the need to address climate change, President Joe Biden, at the recent G-20, pleaded with other nations to increase their oil production to lower the price of gasoline. Maybe the governor should tell the president that New Mexico could produce the extra oil if he would quit strangling energy production with his brave new government regulations. The governor should take note at how green energy is destroying Europe. What began as an optimistic power policy in nations across that...

  • Dems still have issues to contain

    Tom McDonald, Syndicated content|Nov 17, 2021

    Forget what the polls say. President Biden is getting things done. Some on the left say his accomplishments are too little too late, while others on the right cry socialism and foul play. But let the record show that, so far, Biden’s been an effective leader. In less than a year, he has managed the pandemic and a massive vaccine rollout — not as well as some would have hoped but far more competently than his predecessor. If you ask someone like me — a card-carrying, fully vaccinated recipient of some impressive science — you’ll hear that, whe...

  • Lady Longhorns overmatched by Melrose

    Ron Warnick, QCS Senior Writer|Nov 17, 2021

    RIO RANCHO - Perhaps beating the No. 1-ranked team twice in a week was too tall of an order. Facing Melrose for a second consecutive Saturday, the Lady Longhorns this time found themselves overmatched by the top-seeded Lady Buffs 11-25, 17-25, 16-25 in the semifinal of the Class 1A volleyball tournament at the Rio Rancho Events Center. It was a rematch of the previous Saturday's district matchup, one that host Logan won in four sets. Melrose's Graci Odom led her team's hit parade with a...

  • Four earn all-district honors

    Staff report|Nov 17, 2021

    Four players from Tucumcari’s district-champ volleyball team earned District 3A-4 honors this week. Honored are senior outside hitter Amber Owen, senior outside hitter Madison Dysart, junior libero Alexus Lafferty and freshman setter Caylee Benavidez. Tucumcari (9-12) tied with Dexter for the most all-district players, with four. New Mexico Military Institute had three all-district players. The Lady Rattlers this season captured their first district title since 1979 with a 3-1 mark, edging Dexter’s identical mark in head-to-head play. Owen led...

  • Lady Rattlers fall against Hot Springs

    Staff report|Nov 17, 2021

    The Lady Rattlers ran into a proverbial buzzsaw during a 10-25, 8-25, 13-25 loss to host Hot Springs during the first round of the Class 3A volleyball tournament on Nov. 9. Twelveth-seeded Tucumcari was an underdog to the fifth-seeded Truth or Consequences school, but their dominance still impressed Lady Rattlers coach Dana Benavidez. “If they got No. 5, I’d like to see 1, 2, 3, 4,” she said. “They were really good. They ran a good offense, and their setter was really good. I expect them to do well.” The Tigers totaled 22 kills during the match...

  • Logan praised for financial soundness

    Nov 17, 2021

    The auditor for Logan Municipal Schools board praised the district in general for its financial soundness but expressed alarm about wild swings and exponential growth of a liability for which it has no control — future pension obligations for educators. De’Aun Willoughby, a certified public accountant based in Clovis, told the board during its Nov. 9 meeting before it accepted her audit report the district’s proportionate share of net pension liabilities had risen from about $4 million during the 2014-2015 fiscal year to more than $14.3 milli...

  • Annie's Project coming to Tucumcari

    Staff report|Nov 17, 2021

    Annie’s Project, an acclaimed course for women in agriculture, is coming to eastern New Mexico at Tucumcari for six weeks starting in mid-January. Annie’s Project is a six-week course that incorporates evidence-based training with interactive discussion and hands-on exercises. It brings together women from various subsectors of agriculture to learn from experts in production, financial management, human resources, marketing and the legal field. It also offers time for peer-to-peer learning and sharing from other farm and ranch women. Ann...

  • Police blotter - Nov. 17

    Nov 17, 2021

    These calls were made to the Tucumcari-Quay Regional Emergency Communications Center from Nov. 8 to Nov. 14: Monday • 7:36 a.m.: Theft in 900 block of South Adams Street, Tucumcari. • 9:33 a.m.: Attempted suicide at milepost 331, Interstate 40, Tucumcari. • 11:33 a.m.: Civil dispute in 300 block of South Third Street, Tucumcari. • 1:52 p.m.: Arrest warrant in 300 block of South Third Street, Tucumcari. • 3:11 p.m.: Missing person reported in 800 block of West Tucumcari Boulevard, Tucumcari. • 4:14 p.m.: Threat in 600 block of East Rankin Aven...

  • Jail log - Nov. 17

    Nov 17, 2021

    These individuals were booked into the Quay County Detention Center from Nov. 8 to Nov. 14: • Joquin Albert Adame, 22, Anthony, battery against a household member. • James Dean Cordova, 42, Tucumcari, possession of a firearm or destructive device by a felon, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and felony possession of a controlled substance (narcotic drug). • Valerie Martinez, 38, Tucumcari, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and conspiracy to commit aggravated assau...