By Roger Lanse

According to the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department, they were paged out to a manufactured home fire at Highway 15 near Sanctuary Road at 8:52 a.m., this morning, May 16, 2025. 

Also responding are the Tyrone and Whiskey Creek VFDs, the Silver City Fire Department, and the Grant County Fire Management Officer. The fire is being worked at this time – 9:45 a.m., and what was originally reported as black smoke is now white.

Additional information will be coming as the Beat receives it.

By Frost McGahey
Investigative Reporter

Photo of dust storm by Angelica Rodriguez from KOAT

[Editor's  Note: Sheriff's rebuttal below article.]

At the beginning of April, 2025, southern New Mexico was hit by a giant dust storm. The New Mexico State Police closed I-10 from the New Mexico/Arizona line to Las Cruces. The State Police were also dealing with a crash on Highway 26, the road from Deming to Hatch.

The State Police needed help closing down Highway 180 from south of Hurley to Deming.

This is a condensed/edited version of the calls of the New Mexico State Police to the Grant County Dispatch trying to get help from the Grant County Sheriff's Department. It takes place over one and half hours.

CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS EXPECTED SUNDAY FOR SOUTHWEST NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS... .Strong southwest flow aloft crossing the Southern Rockies will induce low surface pressure over the southern High Plains on Sunday. Subsequent tightening of the surface pressure gradient will increase winds area wide. Strongest winds are forecast to occur Sunday and Monday afternoons, with gusty west winds midday. Very dry air remains in place while winds increase, creating critical fire danger for much of southern New Mexico and far west Texas. Fuel dryness is near normal for mid-May, but weather conditions will be favorable for rapid drying of fine fuels and increasing ERCs back above seasonal normals through the weekend.

Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ-
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ-

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County Art Guild Studio hosted a show for Silver City High School art students over two weekends. These photos were taken on May 10, 2025. The art world will benefit greatly from these talented artists.

 Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

On Saturday, May 10, 2025, the WNMU Ceramics Department held its annual sale at the Murray Hotel. Ceramics Department Director Courtney Michaud gathered pieces from her students to sell to fundraise for the department. The prices were reasonable, the creativity amazing, the colors, shapes and sizes ranged from bright to earthy, round to sculptural and small to large. A lot of the pieces were decorative only, but many were food safe to use at one's table. 

By Mary Alice Murphy

In a brief open session at the May 14, 2025 special meeting of the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees, Chairman Dr. Fred Fox explained that although the members had thought all the details of the renewal of the contract for Chief Executive Officer Robert Whitaker had been finalized and ready for approval, they had learned that some details were still being worked out between Whitaker and the lawyers.

The contract was tabled to be discussed in executive session.