PNM reports more than 2000 customers without power

screenshot 2023 07 01 at 8.06.17 pmBy Mary Alice Murphy

According to PNM at 8 p.m. Saturday, July 1, 2023, more than 2000 customers are without power in the Mining District, Tyrone and Arenas Valley. Anticipated restoration of power at 8:45 p.m. 

A call to a customer on CenturyLink resulted in the message: “Due to telephone company troubles, your call cannot be completed at this time.”

Latest is the four-way light at Swan Street is out and SCPD is doing manual traffic control.

Public safety closure goes into effect due to Pass Fire

MIMBRES, NM, June 30, 2023 – A road and trail closure goes into effect at 4:00 p.m. today, impacting several trails within and adjacent to the Pass Fire. The closure is necessary to protect firefighter and public safety in an area of active fire operations and heavy firefighter activity.

"As the fire has marched southward, it has drawn nearer to popular trails and wilderness destinations, increasing the threat to public safety," said Wilderness District Ranger Henry Provencio. "The closure of a limited number of trails allows firefighters to focus on their work, relieving their concern about members of the public who may be within the fire perimeter, in case fire behavior were to become more threatening."

The trail closure includes:

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GCSO responds to stabbing and structure fire in area of Arenas Valley

70975594752 9767216c 24d7 4fe0 80ba 4a3cb64b5962Courtesy Photo from Anonymous sender

Sheriffs' Deputies respond to a stabbing and structure fire in the area of Arenas Valley. On June 29, 2023 at approximately 11:59 a.m., Sheriff's Deputies responded to 34 Old Arenas Valley Rd. in regards to a male subject who was causing problems at the residence. Caller reported earlier that morning the male subject started a structure fire behind the residence and also threatened the caller he was going to harm him. Male subject made his way inside the residence of the caller, grabbing a butcher knife and possibly went outside.

Caller advised he smelled gasoline as a fire started outside next to the residence which became fully engulfed. When Sheriff's Deputies and first responders arrived on scene, a male was lying on the floor with multiple stab wounds. Sheriff's Deputies were performing Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation along with EMS and Paramedics but were unsuccessful.

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Pass Fire Update June 30, 2023

Pass Fire
Gila National Forest
Incident Commanders – Billy Trujillo IC - Dustin Roper IC (t) Information Phone: 575-388-8211
Hours: 8 am-4:30pm
Email: Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov

Acres: 57,670
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 12%
Fuels: Timber, piñon/juniper and grass
Personnel: 140, 1 Type 1 Helicopter, 2 Type 3 Helicopters

Fire activity and growth were minimal yesterday, with low to moderate fire behavior observed. The most active area of fire perimeter was along southwest corner in the Log Canyon area above the Middle Fork Gila River. Today, crews plan to complete hand ignitions along the Iron Trail (771) and White Rocks Trail (27) to remove available fuels and establish containment along the southeastern fire perimeter, where fire has been active in the Burnt Corral Canyon area. With these hand ignitions, fire acreage can be expected to be greater tomorrow.

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New Mexico State Police Investigate Homicide Near Silver City

bicycle re timmons death

Silver City, NM - The New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau is investigating the homicide of Stephen Timmons. Investigators believe Mr. Timmons was killed between 8:30 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Monday, June 26, 2023.

Mr. Timmons was riding his bicycle in the Dragon Fly Trail System off Arenas Valley Road near Silver City when he was shot and killed. At the time of his murder, he was wearing black shorts with a white stripe on the side, a light blue shirt, and a black helmet. He was riding a turquoise bicycle (pictured).

State Police is seeking the public's assistance with this investigation. Anyone with information related to this crime is encouraged to contact the New Mexico State Police at 575-382-2500, option 1.

Though State Police has no credible information regarding an active threat, we recommend that anyone recreating in this area remain vigilant and cautious.

Grant County Commission 060623 work session and regular meeting 060823 part 7 and final

[Editor's Note: This article is the seventh and final of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on June 6, 2023 and the regular meeting on June 8, 2023. This article heard county reports and continued review of the regular meeting agenda and decisions made.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

This article continues the Grant County Commission June 6, 2023 work session review of the June 8, 2023 regular meeting agenda and begins with elected official reports at the regular meeting.

Treasurer Patrick Cohn presented his tax maintenance report. "In May, for our 2022 taxes, we collected $1,279,336.82. That is a 90.35 collection rate to date for 2022 taxes. For the 10 years, our collection rate was 95.29 percent, leaving us an uncollected $5 million over the period. We are working on getting taxes paid on manufactured homes. Owners who have not made one payment in 10 years, we're notifying them and starting to get a bit of money in. We sent a courtesy letter to those who were delinquent. We will go out in the field to reach out to find out issues. We'll work with the assessor to find where some of the places are. We will send out about 4,300 delinquency notices."

District 5 Commissioner Harry Browne asked: "Those 4,300 deliquency notices are out of how many parcels?

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Gospel Mission volunteer has bike stolen.

By Roger Lanse

Silver City Police Department officers responded Monday, June 26, 2023, at about 10:21 a.m., to a larceny call at the Gospel Mission, 111 S. Texas Street. According to an SCPD incident report, the Director of the Gospel Mission, Randy Salars, played surveillance footage showing Dustin Patterson, 34, of Silver City, leaving the building pushing a black bicycle then hopping on the bike and heading east off the property.

The male victim, whose age is also 34, with no local address, stated he was just hired as a volunteer at the Mission and had parked his bike inside the building about 15 minutes before Patterson took it without the victim's permission. The bike was described as a black Trek 9000 with orange/pink forks. The victim also stated if the bicycle was returned before the end of the day/he would not pursue charges.

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Pass Fire Update June 29, 2023

Pass Fire
Gila National Forest
Incident Commanders – Billy Trujillo IC - Dustin Roper IC (t)

Information Phone: 575-388-8211 Hours: 8 am-4:30 pm
Email: Maribeth.Pecotte@usda.gov
Acres: 57,523
Start Date: May 18, 2023
Location: 40 miles west of Winston, NM
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 12%
Fuels: Timber, piñon/juniper and grass
Personnel: 133, 1 Type 1 Helicopter, 2 Type 3 Helicopters

Infrared mapping from last night showed approximately 420 acres of fire growth and isolated heat at the southeast corner of the fire, around the base of Burnt Corral Canyon, Windfall Canyon, and Tommy Hill Canyon, near the East Fork of the Gila River. Another isolated pocket of heat is at the southwest corner of the fire perimeter, on the ridge between Log Canyon and Brothers West Canyon above the Middle Fork Gila River.

Today, crews are expected to complete preparing the Iron Trail (771) and White Rocks Trail (27) to use as containment features along the south/southeast corner of the fire. Once prepped, additional use of hand ignition operations may occur to remove available fuels between the active fire and containment features.

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