Local News Releases

New Mexico State Library, the J. Cloyd Miller Library at Western New Mexico University, and the Public Library of Silver City present a book talk with New Mexico Great Reads authors Caroline Starr Rose and Philip Connors.

What: Join New Mexico's National Book Festival authors Caroline Starr Rose and Philip Connors for a conversation exploring their newest books that were shaped by life perched high above New Mexico in a fire watch tower. "The Burning Season" by Caroline Starr Rose and "The Mountain Knows the Mountain: A Fire Watch Diary" by Philip Connors were selected as the New Mexico Great Reads books for the National Book Festival, held in Washington, DC on August 22. In the juvenile fiction book, "The Burning Season," twelve-year-old Opal is preparing to become a fourth-generation fire lookout on Wolf Mountain in the New Mexico wilderness but has to overcome her fear of fire to carry on the family tradition. In Philip Connors' book, "The Mountain Knows the Mountain," he shares his experiences and renewed intentions as he returns to a fire lookout post in the Gila Wilderness after a year-long recovery from an injury. The book talk is free and open to the public.

New Mexico State Library, J. Cloyd Miller Library at Western New Mexico University, and Public Library of Silver City

Saturday, Aug. 29, 2026, 10 a.m. - noon

BAYARD, NM – 08/12/2026 - Bayard Public Library is pleased to announce the hiring of a new Digital Navigator, a part-time position funded through a nine-month grant from the New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (DWS). The Digital Navigator will provide personalized assistance and workshops to community members seeking to improve their digital skills, access online resources, and navigate technology with confidence.

Beginning immediately, community members may receive free technology assistance by visiting the library during walk-in hours, Monday through Friday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., or by appointment. We can assist with a variety of digital needs, including:

Booth at the 2025 Fall Fiber Arts Sale.High-quality fiber art will fill the Murray Hotel Ballroom in Historic Downtown Silver City during the Fall Fiber Arts Sale held annually by the Southwest Women's Fiber Arts Collective (SWFAC).  There is no entrance fee for this event, which will take place in the Murray Hotel Ballroom, located at 200 West Broadway Street, on Saturday, October 10th from 10am to 5pm and Sunday, October 11th from 10am to 2pm. Save the date for this wonderful opportunity to see an amazing range of wearable, useable and displayable fiber art created by local artists.

The unique handmade items created by twenty SWFAC members will be featured during the two-day sale, including hand woven and embroidered pieces available from Weaving for Justice, a non-profit that supports fiber artists in Chiapas, Mexico. Event visitors will be able to browse crocheted, knitted, woven, hand-sewn, dyed and painted apparel for adults and children; useable house goods and décor; cards, toys, jewelry, and rugs; handwoven towels, shawls, scarves and pillows; hand painted natural fibers and felted items; bags, baskets, lamps, quilted items, linens and much more. 

Dina PerlascaEdwina and Charles Milner Women in the Arts Lecture and Exhibition Series: Dina Perlasca

Thursday September 3 

Lecture: Light Hall Theater - 6 PM

Opening Reception: McCray Gallery 7 PM 

Exhibition runs through 9/24 

Dina Perlasca is a Mexican American artist from The Paso del Norte Region, where she grew up on the border of Mexico and the U.S. Dina has an active studio practice at Bravo Studios in the Research Interdisciplinary Building at The University of Texas at El Paso. 

Dina has had the opportunity to work in diverse institutions and places that are convergent with her creative lifestyle and path. She has been a ceramic sculpture instructor at the El Paso Museum of Art in her undergraduate years as well as an Art Consultant in the Gadsden District in Santa Teresa, NM.  She currently holds the position of Assistant Professor of Instruction at The University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, TX where she teaches undergraduate Ceramics and Design.

Southwest Catch of the Week

Lake Roberts: Eric Artiaga had good luck at Lake Roberts targeting catfish with hot dogs in recent weeks.

SOUTHWEST FISHING REPORT

August 23, at 10 am, 3845 North Swan Street –  "Preparing for Pride"

The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Silver City will present a video program titled "Preparing for Pride," addressing how love and showing up and fostering community can deflect anti-democratic attacks on LGBTQIA+ rights and threats to supportive religious groups as we look forward to the Pride in the Gila Festival next month.

Unitarian Universalist ministers Byron Tyler Coles, Ashley Horan, and Megan Foley discuss some of the patterns of threats and impacts to the LGBTQ+ community and how to respond to promote safety, consistent with Unitarian Universalist values.

PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:

The regular monthly board meeting of the Grant Soil and Water Conservation District will be held Monday, August 17, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. The meeting will be held in the conference room of the Natural Resources Conservation Service/Grant SWCD office located at 3082 32nd Street Bypass, Suite C, Silver City, NM.  To request a copy of the agenda or for more information, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. The meeting is open to the public. 

Topic: Raku Firing Process

Claude W. Smith III is a traditional potter, with clay being his passion and throwing his form of meditation. He loves making pots, utilitarian pots and one-of-a-kind pots. He grew up in the agrarian Midwest when he was younger, he loved the physicality that clay provided.  Clay speaks of home, and home is where the heart is. Home is where family resides. Home is being in the world sharing the world with our children, grandchildren, friends and the rest of civilization. Home means sharing the clay with the offspring. Claude will talk about the Raku firing process which is more immediate and spontaneous.