Front Page News
Update: Volunteers fight Faywood fire
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 03 October 2023 03 October 2023
UPDATE: According to Incident Commander Eugene Rodriguez of the Fort Bayard Volunteer Fire Rescue, the Faywood Hotsprings fire was started when a backhoe hit an overhead power line, which started a grass fire, which set an estimated 40' x 50' shop building ablaze. The building was a total loss.
Rodriguez told the Beat that a combined four engines, four tenders, and 20-21 firefighters responded to the fire. No injuries were reported.
By Roger Lanse
First reports from the Grant County Sheriff's Office, the Upper Mimbres Volunteer Fire Rescue, and Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority, describe an electrical fire that fully engulfed a shop building at the Faywood Hotsprings on Highway 61 today, Oct. 3, 2023. The hot springs is located near the junction of Highway 180.
The volunteer fire departments at Upper Mimbres, Lower Mimbres, Whiskey Creek, and Ft. Bayard, were involved in suppressing the fire, according to UMVFD staff. They were paged out at about 2 p.m. and were still on scene at 4 p.m. mopping up.
Grant County Commission work session 091223 and regular meeting 091423 part 8
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 01 October 2023 01 October 2023
[Editor's Note: This is part 8 of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on Sept. 12, 2023 and the regular meeting on Sept. 14, 2023.. This article continues with the review of the regular meeting agenda at the work session and decisions made at the regular meeting.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
County Manager Charlene Webb continued the review of the Sept. 14, 2023 regular meeting agenda at the Sept. 12 work session.
The first item of new business addressed using ARPA (American Rescue Plan Act) to fund WNM Communications extending broadband services to Fierro and Pinos Altos.
"Randy (Hernandez, Planning Director) and I have the same recommendation," Webb said at the work session. "The project to Fierro will extend the fiber optic that is in place up to Hanover, and the project to Pinos Altos will use wireless to expand broadband access. We both feel it is a good use for ARPA funding. Every community needs enhanced broadband."
PEO Chapter BR held a fundraising purse auction 093023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 01 October 2023 01 October 2023
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
Auctioneer Danna Stout volunteers to auction off purses to raise funds for PEO scholarships. PEO Chapter BR organized the auction on Saturday, Sept. 30, 2023. A total of 100 purses were auctioned off, with the two highest selling bags being a hand-painted one by local artist Buck Burns and the second one a verified Madame Millie bag with her book of clients inside.
In another room, participants could find reasonably priced bags for sale. A homemade chicken salad sandwich on croissant was pre-packaged with carrot sticks, grapes and potato chips. And one each table, a variety of delicious homemade cookies enticed the attendees.
Four models showed purses throughout the main room to all the participants. They included scholarship recipients Samantha and Veronica, along with Taylor and Annie.
WNMU Homecoming Parade 093023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 01 October 2023 01 October 2023
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
The WNMU Homecoming Parade took place Saturday morning, Sept. 30, 2023 with a route from the McDonald Memorial Student Union Building, down College to Cooper to Broadway, onto Bullard and back up College Avenue.
From a group of veterans in an old Army Jeep to classic cars to nice cars with Hall of Famers, to floats representing departments to athletic team floats and from goats to dogs and jugglers, the parade entertained with a vast variety of entries.
Silver City residents ask the council for help
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 30 September 2023 30 September 2023
By Lynn Janes
The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting September 26, 2023. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, council members included Jose Ray, Nicholas Prince, Guadalupe Cano, and Rudy Bencomo.
Council comments
Bencomo said he had been approached by someone concerned about the speeding at Hudson Bridge. He asked if they could put some police presence there. He had received some calls about an uptick on problems in the Southeast part of town. "I know we ask a lot, but the residents would like to see some police presence again." He had received an email from someone reporting a lot of trash around the little chapel on the hill (La Capilla). Bencomo said he had gone up there and filled up a black trash bag. The area has trash receptacles and asked that people use them.
Snell Middle School starting Mariachi band
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 30 September 2023 30 September 2023
Cobre superintendent resigns
By Lynn Janes
The Cobre Consolidated School Board held a meeting on September 25, 2023, at Snell Middle School. Board members in attendance included Gabriella Begay, Gilbert Guadiana, David Terrazas and Elizabeth Dean (by phone). Serena Murillo did not attend. Acting superintendent Michael Koury also attended.
Snell Middle School principal Margaret Begay introduced a couple of teachers to give presentations. They have just started a Mariachi band and Damaris Landers told the board the kids would not be ready to preform for them yet. They hoped by Christmas they would. The band will be made up of 16 students. The students will be starting from zero and learning everything about Mariachi bands. They have new instruments and uniforms coming soon.
Silver School Board implements student representative
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 30 September 2023 30 September 2023
By Lynn Janes
The Silver City Consolidated Schools held a work session and regular meeting on September 18, 2023. Members in attendance Ashley Montenegro, Michelle Diaz, Patrick Cohn, and Mike McMillan. Eddie Flores did not attend. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended.
For the work session Darron Walter, POMS Associates, had a presentation about the restorative justice program for the board. This company provides the state of New Mexico with risk control insurance. Walter said he had 29 years experience in law enforcement when he retired. POMS has a program they started that looks at positive interaction with the students to keep schools safe. Walter said threats generally come from within the school. POMS provides training, safety audits, security vulnerability assessments, OSHA certification, etc.
Grant County Commission work session 091223 and regular meeting 091423 part 7
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 29 September 2023 29 September 2023
[Editor's Note: This is part 7 of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on Sept. 12, 2023 and the regular meeting on Sept. 14, 2023.. This article continues with the review of the regular meeting agenda at the work session. This article begins with elected officials reports at the regular meeting.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
Assessor Misty Trujillo gave the first elected official report at the Sept.14, 2023 regular meeting. She thanked Deputy Assessor Raul Turrieta for presenting the 2023 tax rates at the previous meeting in her absence. "The next big project is the 2023 tax rollover to the treasurer's office. I hope to get everything over to the treasurer's office by the first week in October. Unfortunately, we will lose two employees with one going to El Paso and the other to Las Cruces. We will again be posting positions."