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Marijuaa Dispensary
By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist.
In 2021 New Mexico was 26th in number of burglaries. The next year the state was first in the nation.* What was the cause of the dramatic rise in burglaries?
On April 12, 2021, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, signed the bill to legalize adult recreational use of marijuana, the Cannabis Regulation Act. It had been passed by the state legislature rather than being put to a popular vote.
By Roger Lanse
On Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, at about 5:33 p.m., Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to the Skate Park in reference to a bomb threat. The unidentified female caller said she heard five men, all wearing masks and in a black Chrysler, talking about blowing up the courthouse and probation office. According to an SCPD incident report, the caller said all five were between 20 and 30-years-old, were heard 15 to 20 minutes ago, and had a red dufflebag with 12 to 15 guns inside. The caller also requested that no courthouse should be opened the next day, Monday, the 12th.
Both magistrate court judges, the Sixth Judicial District Courthouse, the Silver City Municipal Court, other municipal courts within Grant County, Bayard Police Department Chief Hector Carrillo, and the Adult Probation and Parole Office, were notified by SCPD officers, the report stated. Extra patrols for all these locations were initiated by law enforcement.
Bryan Conn
James Mohr
Charles Hernandez
Silver City -- Three Grant County men were arrested for child solicitation by electronic communication device, as a result of a special operation led by the Silver City Police Department (SCPD) to identify and arrest people who are trying to solicit sex with minors via the internet. Arrested were Charles Robert Hernandez, 35, of Silver City, who was also charged with possession of a controlled substance; James R. Mohr, 26, of San Lorenzo; and Bryan Keith Conn, 47, of Hurley.
The special operation, conducted in the first week of February, was led by Detective Sergeant Daniel Tavizon, with assistance from another SCPD detective, in collaboration with the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force, which includes the District Attorney's office and area Homeland Security officers. All undercover officers assigned to this operation have received specialized ICAC training.
By Lynn Janes
The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting January 31, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, council members included Nicholas Prince (phone), Guadalupe Cano, Rudy Bencomo, and Stan Snider.
Proclamations
The council proclaimed February 10, 2024, Territorial Charter Day. In 2016 the town made a resolution to recognize the territorial charter each year. Raul Turrieta, Ward Rudick, and several others attended to accept the proclamation. In 1871 Silver City became a designated county seat. At that time, they had 284 dwellings, 2 hotels and many other businesses. In 1872 they had proposed to New Mexico legislature for incorporation, and it didn't pass. A secession movement in 1876 began to become part of Arizona but Congress denied the application. The New Mexico Legislature passed the Silver City territorial charter in 1878.
By Lynn Janes
The Village of Santa Clara held a meeting January26, 2024. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza trustees, Olga Amador, Peter Erickson, and Ralph Trujillo attended.
The council approved the agenda with some changes in the order of some topics on the agenda
Mayor's report
Lopez had gone to Santa Fe for the legislative session. He said it had been the first time to attend and a lot had been going on. He met and visited with many people. one being the Lieutenant Governor Howie Morales, and he advised they had been able to secure $1 million in funding for the infrastructure and rebuilding of Fort Bayard. They will be first addressing acquiring water and then working on the grounds. He cautioned it would not happen overnight but will be a process. "We have been asking for this for a long time and this is a real win for us and the surrounding area." Lopez has been asked to be on the board for planning for Fort Bayard and he said he was honored.
[Editor's Note: This is the first of a series of articles on the Feb. 6, 2024, Grant County Commission work session.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
After preliminary business, including the call to order, the pledge of allegiance and salute to the state flag, plus approval of the work session agenda and purpose and public input, of which there was none, and with no presentations, the Grant County Commission began to hear county reports from department directors.
The first came from Grant County Airport Manager Rebekah Wenger. "I'm happy to say that we are fully staffed, and our newest employee is airport tech Lauren Gonzalez, who is a certified EMT-1. We are in our new administrative building and when we have completed the furnishing, we will move the pilots' lounge into the new building, too. Along with that, I'm hoping to start a new marketing plan, so we can bring in more transients. We are working with a national CBO (community-based organization) that tries to bring traffic in.
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