Silver High School National History Day students participate in and present at conference

By Mary Alice Murphy

During the New Mexico History Conference, which began Thursday afternoon, March 30, 2023, and continued through Saturday, April 1, 2023, Silver High School National History Day students had an opportunity to talk about their various projects, practice their presentations in front of an audience of local, state and regional historians, as well as mingle with them and talk to them.

During the presentation on Saturday, April 1, three presenters had an opportunity to speak before professional and interested historians. Abigail Henderson talked about her documentary about Anna May Wong, an American actress of Chinese descent. Lizzy McDonald presented her documentary on Dicky Chapelle, a female photojournalist during World War II, including in the battles of Iwo Jima and on Okinawa. She also covered portions of the Vietnam War and traveled to other war zones. Faith Pellegrino performed part of her project portraying Dorothy Parker, a poet, writer and satirist.

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New Mexico History Conference in Silver City 0330-040123

[Author's Note: This photographer and author tried to get to every session and get at least one photo of a presenter. Along the way of navigating the various sessions—35 of them—scattered all over the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center, she may have missed some and for sure did not get the names correct for everyone or every session. She was unable to attend the plenary session, the special presentation or the luncheons or banquet. Please if you notice an error in the photo cutlines or in this article, please notify editor@grantcountybeat for a correction.]

 Photos and Article by Mary Alice Murphy

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The very successful and well attended New Mexico History Conference took place on March 30 - April 1, 2023 at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center in Silver City, New Mexico. According to main organizer, Susan Berry, more than 325 people attended and participated in the event. From a participant who said he regularly attends these conferences, this was one of the better attended events.

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Grant County Sheriff's Office arrests suspect on several charges

The Grant County Sheriff's Office arrested Brandon Capshaw on an arrest warrant today, April 4, 2023 at approximately 2:16 P.M. Capshaw was reported as breaking and entering at a residence in Arenas Valley. Earlier this morning a family member contacted the Principal at Jose Barrios Elementary School, reporting to him Capshaw was threatening to hurt the smaller siblings and wanted to alert the school of the threats being made.

The school administration put the school on lockdown-shelter in place for the safety of the students and staff. Capshaw is being charged with; Breaking and Entering, Criminal Damage to Property of a Household Member, Attempt to Commit a Felony, and Trespassing. This is still an ongoing investigation. Sheriff Villanueva stayed in communication with Superintendent Hawkins throughout this incident. As more information becomes available, it will be released.

Woodcutter has problems

By Roger Lanse

Saturday, Apr. 1, 2023, at about 12:23 p.m., James Lett, 59, of Sunrise Estates in Grant County, was reported missing by his 90-year-old mother. She told Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority dispatchers that her son had gone woodcutting on BLM land between Hanover and Vanadium at 3 p.m. the day before and had not returned. She stated her son had no phone as his was broken and he was waiting for a new one to arrive.

According to a Grant County Sheriff's Office offense report, after making contact with Lett's mother, Lett's name was entered into the National Crime Information Center database.

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GRMC Governing Board met March 23, 2023, part 2

[Editor’s Note: This portion of the March 23, 2023 GRMC Governing Board meeting addresses the updates and reports.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The first report after the completion of new business decisions by the Gila Regional Medical Center Governing Board at its monthly meeting on March 23, 2023, came from new Interim Chief Nursing Officer Cynthia Lewis. “My interest is in quality and working in rural communities. I have seen great teamwork at Gila Regional, and the upcoming leaders who will take the leadership roles as they open up. We have great outreach in the New Beginnings program. My position here will be working with the team on better outcomes and working with development opportunities as they arise.”

Chief Financial Officer Patrick Banks presented the next report on the February hospital financial results. “As usual, I am a month behind, so we are at eight months into the fiscal year. Volumes, despite moves up and down, are very consistent with prior months. Remember that February is a 28-day month, which tends to impact the raw numbers. But they show consistent ER (emergency room) and OR (operating room) visits. I’m very pleased to report a $30,000 operating surplus for the month. We’ve celebrated what I call EBIDA (earnings before interest, depreciation and amortization) break even. As I’ve described before, it more or less reflects today’s cash flow. An operating surplus is the bottom line before the benefit of grants. If we have even a marginal operating surplus it means we’re paying for our depreciation and generating enough cash to replace old equipment. It’s only one month, but it’s a trend we’re going to make a financial organization goal of continuing. It wouldn’t be possible without matching our labor usage to our patient volumes.

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Iconic Kneeling Nun no longer standing

untitled 1By Steve Townley, interim reporter

Soocial media is ablaze with rumors regarding the Kneeling Nun's recent disappearance.

Where did she go? Did someone steal her? Did she fall down? 

While some people claim it naturally slipped into the landscape. Other people reported loud explosions in the area. No one we spoke with at the Chino Mine had the clearance or authority to comment publicly. No one from the NM Mine Safety and Health Administration was available for comment.

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Silver City presents two proclamations

sctc1Mayor Ken Ladner presents a proclamation honoring Martyn Pearson and Alex Olsen to Jack Brennan. sctc2Mayor Ken Ladner and Councilor Guadalupe Cano present a proclamation to Loren Nelson and Barbara Nelson for bringing Imagination Library to Silver City and Grant County and to most of the rest of New Mexico.Photos and article by Lynn Janes

Silver City held a work session March 28, 2023. The meeting started with Mayor Ken Ladner calling the meeting to order and leading the Pledge of Allegiance and salute to the New Mexico state flag. Council members attending the meeting included Lucian Farmer, Jose Ray, Nicholas Prince, and Guadalupe Cano.

The council approved the agenda with the removal of the discussion about the letter received by the Silver City Fire Department.

This work session would discuss the recruitment of the town manager and staff that would be retiring in the next few years. Alex Brown, town manager will retire in November of 2024.

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Man arrested after throwing rocks

By Roger Lanse

Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to 307 E. College Avenue on Tuesday, Mar. 28, 2023, in reference to a disturbance call. The caller advised a Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority dispatcher that Jason Abeyta was stealing items, throwing rocks, and on caller's property having an active CTW for caller's property.

Officers, according to an SCPD incident report, made contact with Jason Abeyta, 40, homeless of Silver City, at the intersection of College Avenue and Corbin Street. Abeyta denied being on the victim's property or throwing rocks at the victim. Abeyta stated he did pick up a rock but only placed it on a green light spot, and stated the property belongs to him. The officer noted Abeyta was rambling and did not make sense when talking with him.

The report said officers were shown video footage by the victim which showed Abeyta on the victim's property and throwing rocks, which the victim described as being about three-inches in diameter, at the victim, hitting him on his right shin.

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