Serving the High Plains

Year in review: Racino, weather incidents mark first half of 2019

Editor's note: This story is the first in a series of stories wrapping up 2019 in Quay County. A story on July through December will run in the Jan. 8 edition.

Bizarre weather-related incidents and mounting uncertainty about Tucumcari's candidacy for a horse-racing license marked the first half of 2019.

Severe windstorms occurred during the collapse of a wind turbine near House in February and caused the derailment of 23 railcars off a trestle near Logan during another storm in March. No one was injured in either incident.

Meanwhile, the fate of a state horse-racing license, thrown into limbo by a lawsuit in late 2018, faced more doubts when Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham fired and replaced the New Mexico Racing Commission in April, then the commission canceled meetings until further notice in June.

It wasn't all bad news for Quay County. The Logan girls track team easily captured a state title, a Tucumcari wrestler won a state championship, and Mesalands Community College closed on its long-awaited deal to acquire Tucumcari's closed armory building.

Here are the top stories in the Quay County Sun for the first six months of 2019. A review on the second half of the year will be in next week's edition.

Jan. 2 - County preps for first mail-in election

Quay County voters in the Tucumcari school district soon will receive in their mailboxes ballots for the county's first-ever mail-in election. An estimated 4,400 registered voters would receive ballots in the mail. From there, they can decide whether to renew the school district's two-mill tax for capital improvements.

Jan. 16 - Two deputies honored

The Quay County Sheriff's Office recognized two deputies who showed exemplary service. Lt. Larry Cooksey was awarded the Life Saving Award for his response to a shots-fired call that required the use of a tourniquet to stop the bleeding of a person who had been shot. Undersheriff Dennis Garcia was awarded his second Medal of Valor, when he made "a calm and clear-headed decision" to save the life of a hostage held at knifepoint.

Jan. 23 - Barbary sheep stops in Tucumcari

For weeks, Tucumcari residents have reported a lone wild goat with big horns roaming in a field just west of South 11th Street near a city water tank and Tucumcari Elementary School. It turns out the animal is a Barbary sheep, as identified by the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish from a photo. A communications director for the agency said such an animal in Tucumcari is unusual, but they occasionally wander down the nearby Canadian River Valley.

Jan. 30 - County commits to racino infrastructure work

The Quay County Commission approved a resolution that commits up to $1.75 million for public infrastructure improvements leading up to the site of a proposed horse-racing track and casino on Tucumcari's east side. If the New Mexico Racing Commission awards a sixth license to Coronado Partners to build a nearly $80 million "racino" in Tucumcari, county officials said they anticipate not all of the $1.75 million would be needed to upgrade sewer, water, roads and utility lines to the site between Route 66 and Interstate 40.

Jan. 30 - Hendrickson appointed municipal judge

The Tucumcari City Commission appointed Noreen Hendrickson, a longtime community volunteer leader, to be the city's municipal judge. Hendrickson was appointed on a 4-1 vote. Hendrickson and Larry Brown, who has been serving as acting municipal judge, were interviewed before the meeting. Hendrickson said "I'm thrilled and honored" with the appointment.

Jan. 30 - Tucumcari MainStreet fires its director

The board of Tucumcari MainStreet fired the downtown improvement organization's executive director, Gail Houser. Houser was given only a few hours to collect his belongings and leave. He had served as MainStreet's director since August 2014. MainStreet board president Cooper Glover confirmed Houser was fired, saying MainStreet was moving "in a new direction."

Jan. 30 - Coach inducted into Track Hall of Fame

Tucumcari's Wayne Ferguson was inducted into the New Mexico High School Track and Cross-Country Coaches Association's Hall of Fame. Ferguson, who also is Tucumcari's football coach and athletic director, was honored during a ceremony in Albuquerque. Ferguson became Tucumcari's assistant track coach in 1994 and helped the boys team win the state title in the 800-meter relay the next year. All told, Ferguson coached the boys team to 29 individual state titles in 23 seasons, plus team titles in 2008 and 2017.

Feb. 13 - Mail-in vote renews school district's property tax

Voters easily approved the Tucumcari school district's request to renew its two-mill capital-improvement property tax during Quay County's first mail-in election. A total of 858 voters approved of the measure, almost 69 percent of the total.

Feb. 13 - County adopts 'Second Amendment sanctuary' resolution

The Quay County Commission approved Sheriff Russell Shafer's request to adopt a resolution declaring the county a "Second Amendment sanctuary county" because of his objections to several gun-control bills pending in the New Mexico Legislature. The resolution stated the commission "affirms its support" for the sheriff "in the exercise of his/her sound discretion and affirms its resolve to support decisions by our Sheriff to not enforce any unconstitutional firearms law against any citizen."

Feb. 13 - Mesalands' armory deal sealed

The New Mexico National Guard's loss became Mesalands Community College's gain - not that the Guard was complaining. The college took possession of the Guard's closed armory at 1200 S. 11th St. in Tucumcari during a divestment ceremony. Officials signed the property-transfer papers after the facility was sold for $1. The college plans to convert the armory into a student center and athletic complex by fall 2020.

Feb. 13 - Man gets 10 years in shooting

Bobby Lee Vandiver, 32, of Tucumcari was sentenced to 10 years in prison for shooting a man on the west side of Tucumcari last summer, prompting the closure of Route 66 for hours. Vandiver pleaded guilty to aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, resisting an officer, battery and possession of a firearm by a felon in a plea agreement.

Feb. 13 - Jury finds daycare workers guilty in hot-car death

Daycare workers who admitted to leaving two toddlers in a hot car in July 2017 were found guilty of charges that could send them to prison for up to 36 years. Mary and Sandi Taylor were remanded into custody after the Roosevelt County jury's guilty verdict following about four hours of deliberation. The mother-daughter pair that operated Taylor's Tots were charged and convicted of abuse of a child (results in death) and abuse of a child (results in great bodily harm). Prosecutors said Maliyah Jones and Aubriauna Loya, both younger than 2, were left inside the vehicle for about 2 hours, 40 minutes with no air conditioning. Maliyah was dead on arrival at a Portales hospital. Aubriauna survived, but was seriously injured and continues to receive treatment.

Feb. 20 - Turbine topples amid high winds

A wind turbine during a day of high winds toppled near House. No one was hurt, but it caused a lot of chatter on social media. Shana Shoemaker Stowe of House shared an album of photos of the downed wind turbine on Facebook. It was shared more than 2,900 times on the social-media network and prompted hundreds of comments.

Feb. 27 - Resident speaks out on 'sanctuary' resolution

The Quay County Commission's approval during its last meeting of a nonbinding resolution declaring itself a "Second Amendment sanctuary county" was not met with universal approval from constituents. Daniel Garcia, a rural Tucumcari resident, told commissioners "I strongly oppose this" resolution. Garcia said: "What does the county commission have to do with gun rights?" Garcia also said he was troubled by Quay County Sheriff Russell Shafer's vow to not enforce new gun-control laws he deemed unconstitutional. "He is obligated to enforce the law," Garcia said.

Feb. 27 - Man gets probation, time served on sex charges

A Tucumcari man avoided further prison time after being sentenced to probation and time served in jail for sexual contact with two boys while acting as their foster parent. Sandoval County District Judge Louis P. McDonald sentenced Manuel Preciado, 68, to five to 20 years of supervised probation and time served after his arrest in late 2014. Preciado pleaded no contest to six counts of attempted second-degree criminal sexual contract of a minor and one count of third-degree criminal sexual contact of a minor. He also must register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, seek sex-offender treatment and pay restitution.

Feb. 27 - Tucumcari wrestlers take home four state medals

The Tucumcari wrestling team took home four medals - including a Class 3A state title by Kaleb Hayes - during the NMAA state wrestling championships at the Santa Ana Star Center. Hayes (21-6), a senior who finished third last year, captured the title by defeating Javier Mares (27-8) of Las Vegas (Robertson) in a 3-1 decision in the 220-pound finals. Tucumcari senior Rod Dunlap, competing at 145 pounds, and junior Joe Martinez at 152 each fell in their championship match. Aleayah Lucero, a junior competing in the 121-pound girls class, finished third to become Tucumcari's first female wrestler to earn a state medal.

March 6 - K-Bob's Steakhouse closes suddenly

K-Bob's Steakhouse, a fixture along First Street and Interstate 40 for years in Tucumcari, closed, leading to the loss of about 20 jobs. Evangeline Baca, a cook at the restaurant at 200 E. Estrella Ave. for the last 13 months, said there was no inkling of the closure until that morning. K-Bob's corporate employees also were seen placing restaurant equipment into a U-Haul truck.

March 6 - Kix on 66 restaurant sold

The Kix on 66 restaurant in Tucumcari has a new owner, and he's a local who's no stranger to the dining business. Todd Duplantis, who owns Cornerstone First Edition Pizza & Subs down the street, closed on the deal for Kix on 66 at 1102 E. Route 66 Blvd. from longtime owners Yvonne Braziel and Yvette Peacock.

March 13 - Daycare workers sentenced

A mother-daughter pair of former daycare operators were sentenced in Roosevelt County court for leaving two young girls suffering hours in a hot car the afternoon of July 25, 2017, in Portales. Mary and Sandi Taylor were given 36 and 30 years in prison, respectively, after an emotional hearing that included impassioned pleas from people at both ends of the full courtroom.

March 20 - Winds howl across the region, causing damage

Severe winds knocked off 23 railcars from the Canadian River railroad bridge near Logan into a ravine below, but no one was injured. New Mexico State Police stated high wind gusts that day were "a contributing factor" in the accident. Tucumcari Municipal Airport twice recorded peak wind gusts of 69 mph, with others in the 60s. Sustained winds of 50 mph or more were recorded twice.

March 20 - Quay County

to receive $1.6M in capital outlays

Quay County will receive more than $1.6 million worth of capital-outlay projects from the New Mexico Legislature. Projects approved were renovations to the Tucumcari Senior Center, Tucumcari water tank improvements, building a child-safe interview room at the district attorney's office, improvements at Mesalands Community College, improvements to Quay Roads 63 and AP and improvements to San Jon's water storage tank.

March 27 - Plan to redevelop baseball, softball fields unveiled

The superintendent of Tucumcari schools instructed an architectural firm to draw up estimates to redevelop its baseball and softball fields as part of a future bond election. Aaron McKinney told the board of education Greer Stafford/SJCF Architecture of Albuquerque should present plans and estimates for the project. McKinney said a proposed bond issue of up to $3 million likely would cover the costs. The bond issue would not lead to a tax increase, he said.

April 3 - Redevelopment of Five Mile Park comes into focus

Proposed redevelopment of Five Mile Park west of Tucumcari came more into focus during meetings of the park's planning committee. Among the top ideas presented to the Tucumcari City Commission were artist's renderings of the old Route 66 park being converted into several uses - a shooting-sports area, nonmotorized trails, a children's adventure area, a walking trail, an ATV or motorcycle area, an area for drone-flying or paintball activities, overflow parking and a community space in the long-defunct swimming pool that can be used for concerts, movie screenings or other gatherings.

April 10 - Former doughnut shop owner arrested in Kentucky

Police in Kentucky arrested the former owner and operator of the closed Tucumcari Donuts after he was accused of stealing $26,000 worth of doughnut-making and restaurant equipment from the business. Officers booked Chhaya Yun, 35, of Tucumcari into the Scott County Detention Center in Georgetown, Kentucky, on a warrant of felony larceny.

April 17 - State supreme court censures district judge

The New Mexico Supreme Court publicly censured a 10th Judicial District judge in Tucumcari after ruling he violated the Code of Judicial Conduct during a private meeting last year with Quay County's manager. Judge Albert J. Mitchell Jr. was accused of saying he would ask the governor to veto capital-outlay funds due to the county because of a dispute over court-security funding, according to a document unsealed April 8 by the high court. Mitchell, who serves Quay, De Baca and Harding counties, denied he engaged in "willful misconduct regarding political influence" but did not contest several allegations from a private meeting with Quay County Manager Richard Primrose.

April 24 - Governor fires racing commission, appoints new members

The New Mexico Racing Commission canceled a planned special meeting to discuss awarding a sixth horse-racing license Tucumcari had bid on, and a new racing commission was appointed by Gov. Michelle Lujan-Grisham later that day after she fired the previous commission.

May 1 - Former Tucumcari fire chief avoids jail time

A former Tucumcari fire chief avoided time behind bars for embezzling city funds and drugging and trying to sexually assault a city employee, but not without hearing scathing statements from the victim and her acquaintances and receiving additional conditions from the judge during sentencing in Tucumcari District Court. Shane Warner, 42, now of Clovis, in a plea deal with prosecutors received a 9 1/2-year suspended sentence from District Judge Albert Mitchell and other conditions as part of his five years of supervised probation.

May 1 - Logan mayor charged in magistrate court

Logan Mayor David Babb was charged in Tucumcari magistrate court with working as an electrical contractor without a license. According to a criminal complaint filed by the state, Babb violated the Construction Industries Licensing

May 1 - Events, organization get lodgers' tax funds

Nine events and organizations received final approval for lodgers' tax funding from the Tucumcari City Commission, all at the levels recommended by city staff after review of the city's lodgers' tax board. In some cases, the city granted more than the lodgers' tax board recommended. City manager Britt Lusk said the city was able to raise those amounts because it is expecting to receive more in lodgers' tax revenue than expected in the fiscal year that begins July 1. The city was budgeted $315,000 in lodgers' tax funds for fiscal 2020, compared to $300,000 in fiscal 2019.

May 1 - Mesalands rodeo athletes qualify for national finals

Four rodeo athletes from Mesalands Community College qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo after recently competing at the Grand Canyon Regional Rodeo in Socorro. These Mesalands athletes advanced to nationals: bull rider Roy Jackson of Tiller, Oregon; bareback rider AJ Kee of Farmington, Missouri; bull rider Vinelle Mariano of Pinedale and bull rider Levi Gray of Dairy, Oregon. It also Gray's second consecutive College National Finals Rodeo berth. Mesalands rodeo coach Matt Hughes also earned Coach of the Year honors.

May 8 - Rawhide festival draws crowds

Organizers of Tucumcari Rawhide Days knew crowds had been rollin', rollin', rollin' through the Quay County Fairgrounds during three previous editions of the festival. Now they have a figure for the total number of people who attended this year's - 3,200. The festival that pays tribute to the early 1960s Clint Eastwood television western shot near Tucumcari has a more solid number on the crowds because it implemented entrance fees.

May 15 - Occupants of crashed car arrested; one shot at officers

Two occupants of a crashed vehicle were taken into custody after a two-hour standoff in the wake of a high-speed chase where one of the subjects shot at officers in a north Tucumcari neighborhood. Officers arrested a man and a woman and took them to Trigg Memorial Hospital in Tucumcari for medical evaluations. Their injuries apparently were minor; both were able to walk to an awaiting squad car without assistance. Scott Andrew Sherbondy, 36, and Brandy Campbell, 37, both of Colorado Springs, Colorado, were booked into the county jail on multiple felony counts.

May 15 - Logan girls win team state title in track

The Logan girls track team continued its season-long dominance, easily winning the Class 1A team title during the NMAA Track and Field Championships at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex. The Lady Longhorns scored 89 points over the two-day event, almost double over runner-up Fort Sumner's 48 points. Two of its winning relay teams were among those that broke 20 state records over the weekend, despite cold and rainy weather Friday and two lightning delays Saturday. The Logan boys finished second in the Class 1A team standings with 48 1/2 points, runner-up only to Fort Sumner's dominating 102 points. Dyson Day and Jantzen Paris each won state titles and set state records in the process.

May 15 - Tucumcari hurdler closes career with two state titles

Tucumcari senior Seth Martinez added two more first-place medals in the hurdles races at the NMAA Track and Field Championships at the UNM Track-Soccer Complex, capping his Rattler career with five wins in those events. However, the Rattlers finished a somewhat disappointing fifth place with 39 points in the Class 3A team standings and just a few points from the runner-up spot. Coach Wayne Ferguson attributed that to a hamstring injury Josh Chavez suffered during the weekend, hampering Tucumcari's chances in several events.

May 22 - County approves air park plat

The Quay County Commission approved a preliminary plat of the proposed Air Park at Ute Lake subdivision near Logan that combines residential housing with individual airplane hangars and two runways. The approval came with the stipulation that Chad Lydick, a Clovis engineer overseeing the project, submits a cultural properties protection plan for the 160-acre development east of 12 Shores Golf Course.

May 22 - Man receives suspended sentence in killing

A Tucumcari man received a suspended prison sentence for voluntary manslaughter for his role in the 2017 killing of a man at a home north of Tucumcari. John T. Coston, 27, initially was charged with first-degree murder and felony tampering with evidence for the shotgun death of Joseph T. Burgess, 25, on April 5, 2017. A Quay County jury in February found Coston guilty of voluntary manslaughter and not guilty of murder and the tampering charges. During the sentencing hearing, Coston's attorney said his client "acted on sufficient provocation" during the killing.

June 5 - Man gets five years for violent home invasion

A Tucumcari man was sentenced to five years in prison and other conditions for his role in a violent and armed home invasion in October 2018 that hospitalized an elderly man. Riley Severeid, 18, pleaded guilty in a plea deal to felony counts of aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon, conspiracy to commit aggravated burglary with a deadly weapon and distribution of marijuana. Other charges were dropped in exchange for his cooperation in the case.

June 5 - New Mexico Music Showcase attendance drops

Just under 400 people attended the headlining acts of the third annual New Mexico Music Showcase inside the Tucumcari Convention Center, down about 80 from the previous year. The festival's chairman saw enough opportunity for improvement, he's optimistic the Hispanic music fiesta will be bigger and better in 2020.

June 5 - Good weather blesses museum's 50th anniversary

Vastly improved weather conditions made all the difference with attendance during the 50th anniversary of the Tucumcari Historical Museum. Spitting rain and cold temperatures depressed attendance at a previous event in mid-April. On the anniversary date of June 1, ample sunshine, gentle breezes and temperatures in the 80s led to bigger crowds. More than 150 people went into the museum's main buildings by mid-afternoon. Dozens more milled about the complex's outdoor activities and exhibits.

June 12 - Logan voters approve beer, wine sales at restaurants

Voters in Logan approved by a 5-to-1 margin a mail-in ballot question whether to approve the sale of beer and wine at restaurants. A total of 331 voters, or 84%, approved the special-election ballot question that read: "Shall the issuance of restaurant license for the sale of beer and wine be allowed within the local option district in the Village of Logan?" Only 63 voted against it.

June 19 - Commissioner says arrest a 'misunderstanding'

City Commissioner Ralph Moya said his arrest on a warrant from Tucumcari Municipal Court for failing to appear in court came because of a lack of communication. Moya was not jailed as a result of the arrest, which he said was the result of a misunderstanding because he had called animal control officers earlier to report his sister-in-law's dog had gotten loose. Moya said he was not aware of the court summons until he was arrested on a warrant while shopping at a local store. Tucumcari Police Chief David Lathrom, however, said Moya had a phone conversation with an animal control officer in which Moya refused to accept a citation. Further, Lathrom said, he saw documents that showed Moya was notified in writing of a court date two weeks before his scheduled appearance.

June 19 - Mesalands approves tuition increase

The Mesalands Community College board of trustees approved increases in tuition rates and several fees and gave a two-year contract extension to President John Groesbeck. The rate per credit hour for an in-state student rose from $58 to $60, a 3.4% increase. For out-of-state students, the rate rose from $104 to $110 per credit hour, an increase of 5.8%. Several officials at the meeting said those were the first tuition increases in two years.

June 19 - Tucumcari MainStreet hires a familiar face

The new executive director of Tucumcari MainStreet is someone who holds familiarity with the downtown improvement program and with Tucumcari itself. Connie Loveland began her duties June 3 in the MainStreet office after spending 12 years at Tucumcari Federal Savings and Loan. She said she was prompted to apply for the position after spending two years as co-chairwoman of the organization's Fired Up festivals and several years on the festival board.

June 19 - City reluctantly OKs extension with marketing firm

The Tucumcari City Commission approved a one-year contract extension with an Albuquerque marketing firm after members of the Tucumcari Lodgers' Tax Board reluctantly but unanimously voted to recommend the renewal despite some dissatisfaction with the company. All four of the lodgers' tax board members indicated they would have voted against the contract extension for the Sunny505 firm. But city manager Britt Lusk's pleas to reconsider, the prospects of losing a just-awarded $35,000 grant and the city's communication problems with the firm persuaded the board.

June 26 - Racing commission meetings canceled

The New Mexico Racing Commission abruptly canceled working session, committee and regular meetings until further notice, delaying a decision on a sixth horse-racing license. The commission by email announced the cancellations two days before its working-session and race-dates committee meetings and three days before a regular meeting. A total of five groups from Tucumcari, Clovis and Lordsburg applied for the license to build a racetrack and casino.