Front Page News
Grant County Commission held special meeting 042523
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 26 April 2023 26 April 2023
Loren and Barbara Nelson, who brought Imagination Library to Grant County and the state of New Mexico, were recognized at the Commission meeting. Photo Courtesy of Alicia Edwards
By Mary Alice Murphy
With no public input at the Grant County Commission special meeting on April 25, 2023, the commissioners launched directly into new business, which was consideration of the appointment of three members to the County Valuation Protest Board.
Deputy Assessor Raul Turrieta said the appointments are for two-year terms. "The board is just in case someone wants their protest to be heard by the protest board."
Commissioners approved the appointments of Sam Castello, Cassie Carver and Stacy Sollisch to the board. The appointees must be qualified electors of the county, at least one with demonstrated expertise in the field of valuation of property. No member can hold elective office during the term of their appointment or be employed by the state, a political subdivision or a school district during the time of appointment.
Small grass fire erupts on Cottonwood
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 26 April 2023 26 April 2023
By Roger Lanse
On Wednesday, Apr. 27, 2023, at about 5:38 p.m., the Silver City Fire Department and Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to a grass fire in the 4400 block of Cottonwood Avenue.
SCFD Assistant Chief Aaron Seavers and SCFD Lt. Colton Allen told the Beat the fire reached about half an acre in size and did threaten one structure, a single-story adobe family dwelling. The home was not damaged as fire fighters kept the blaze from reaching the house. The fire was extinguished at about 6:10 p.m., with mopping up hot spots continuing until approximately 7 p.m. There were no evacuations, and no injuries were reported.
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Women's and UCI Men's starts
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 26 April 2023 26 April 2023
Photos by Paul Michaud
Today, Wednesday, April 26, 2023, the Tour of the Gila, which has been happening around Grant County and into Catron County for 36 years, made a bold start with the UCI Women and UCI Men riding the 73 miles to Mogollon. The first slideshow is of the UCI women, the second of the UCI Men.
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI women
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Women
Austin Killips (#114) and the Amy D Foundation Team assemble at the start
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Women
Team Competitive Edge Racing gets ready for the run to Mogollon
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Women
Holly Breck (#15) and the DNA Pro Cycling Team wait for the start
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Women
The UCI Women begin the 73-mile race to Mogollon
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
The Yoeleo Factory Team poses for pictures before the start of Stage 1
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
Ethan Dunham and the Above and Beyond Cancer Team check in before the start
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
Miguel Lopez Moreno (#16) and Team Medellin from Colombia before the start
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
Ethan Sittlington and the Toronto Hustle Team are ready to hit the road
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
Members of the Canel’s Zerouno Team hang out at the back of the starting grid
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
The UCI Men leave Gough Park
Tour of the Gila Stage 1 042623 UCI Men
The Peloton heads down Pope Street.
Rock-throwing man arrested
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 26 April 2023 26 April 2023
By Roger Lanse
Bayard Police Department officers responded to a harassment call on Grant Street, Thursday, Apr. 20, 2023, regarding a neighbor throwing rocks. When an officer arrived at the location, according to a BPD incident report, the officer observed Tom Nevarez, standing in his backyard, "pick up an object and throw it in the direction of (the victim's) home."
The victim told officers she has had ongoing problems with Nevarez but doesn't know why. Officers proceeded to Nevarez' residence and stated Nevarez appeared to be upset judging from his facial expressions, his pacing, and his yelling of obscenities. When officers told Nevarez they had witnessed him throwing something at his neighbor's home, Nevarez became defensive, the report said, and stated he had been throwing things at a "white target."
The victim presented to officers a video on her cell phone showing Nevarez yelling and throwing things at her home.
Grant County Commission work session held April 11, 2023 and regular meeting on April 13, 2023, part 9
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 25 April 2023 25 April 2023
[Editor's Note: This is part 9 and the final of a multi-article series on the Commission work session on April 11, as well as on the regular meeting on April 13, 2023. This article begins with the elected officials' reports at the regular meeting.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
Sheriff Raul Villanueva presented the first elected official report at the April 13, 2023 Grant County Commission regular meeting. He said the deputies had responded to 1,559 calls, most of them self-initiated. They included four burglaries, with two of them being aggravated burglaries; 20 domestic violence calls; 20 crashes; and 36 animal complaints. "I am pleased with our new animal control employee. She's excited about her job and is working out very well. One of the aggravated burglaries involved the stealing of a gun safe with about seven firearms being taken. The investigation is ongoing. On March 4, we had a missing person's report of a man with dementia. His wife drove around and finally found him. We have another ongoing investigation into a residential burglary where a rifle and tools were missing. On March 8, a mentally ill homicidal individual was missing. When he was found, he didn't want to go to the hospital, but we took him. We also addressed an incident with an unresponsive male. He was revived and transported to the hospital even though he was refusing to go. On March 28, Silver City Fire Department personnel were doing CPR on a woman not breathing, but she died."
Beautiful weather on Earth Day 042223
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 24 April 2023 24 April 2023
Photos and videos by Lynn Janes
Earth Day and CDT Day 042223
Earth Day and CDT Day 042223
The Grant County 4-H booth at Gough Park
Earth Day and CDT Day 042223
Gila Resources Information Project booth
Earth Day and CDT Day 042223
The north side of Gough Park had booths
Earth Day and CDT Day 042223
The large sycamore tree at Gough Park puts out its new foliage for the event.
Earth Day and CDT Day 042223
Silver City Watershed Keepers had information for visitors
Saturday April 22, 2023, celebrated the 53-year tradition of the holiday. It took place at Gough Park and this year was celebrated with the Continental Divide Trail Days.
The event listed 64 different organizations participating. They ranged from Advocates for Snake Preservation to WNMU (Western New Mexico University) Outdoors program. They also had several organizations and outdoor gear sales from out of the area. Several local musicians also performed throughout the day.
The two videos below show the east side and west side of Gough Park.
Fatal Crash in Grant County, NM
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 24 April 2023 24 April 2023
Grant County, NM – On April 23, 2023, at around 1:20 p.m., the New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash involving a single vehicle on White Water Road off State Road 90 south of Silver City, NM
The initial investigation indicated that a 2004 Buick, driven by Tyler Trusty (35) of Caballo, NM was traveling eastbound on White Water Road. For reasons still under investigation, Mr. Trusty left the roadway and struck a dirt embankment, causing the vehicle to roll over. Mr. Trusty sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Office of the Medical Examiner.
Grant County Commission work session held April 11, 2023 and regular meeting on April 13, 2023, part 8
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 23 April 2023 23 April 2023
[Editor's Note: This is part 8 of a multi-article series on the Commission work session on April 11, as well as on the regular meeting on April 13, 2023. This article begins with the GRMC monthly report.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
At the Grant County Commission regular meeting on April 13, 2023, Gila Regional Medical Center Interim Chief Executive Officer Margie Molitar came forward to give the monthly report and turned it over to Chief Financial Officer Patrick Banks, who presented the February financial report, as the March one had not been yet approved by the Governing Board.
Banks noted the days cash on hand were up from the previous month at 109 days. "We are improving our cost structure. We have had a significant increase in labor costs, but we expect to see an improvement. The hospital posted a $30,000 surplus in operations, which is highly significant. The hospital is grateful to Sen. Siah Hemphill, Rep. Luis Terrazas, our federal congressional delegation, and you commissioners for your support to make sure to keep the hospital going."