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By Roger Lanse

Sunday, Jan. 19, 2025, at about 2:01 a.m., a Bayard Police Department officer responded to the Gila Regional Medical Center in Silver City, NM, in reference to a male with a gunshot wound to his left leg. According to a BPD incident report, the officer spoke to the victim, Leandro Dominguez, 64, of Bayard, at GRMC.

Dominguez stated, the report said, that as he was getting ready to go to bed, the gun, a .38 Special Smith & Wesson revolver, fell from a top shelf and went off. Dominguez stated the revolver had just one cartridge in it, and he wasn't sure how it fell. According to the report, Dominguez thought possibly the belt of the robe he was wearing might have caught the weapon as he bent over to lower the heater.

[Editor's Note: This is part 4 of the Grant County Commission January 7, 2025 work session and Jan. 9, 2025 regular meetings. This begins the work session review of the regular meeting agenda and presentations made at the regular meeting.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Grant County Commissioner Jan. 7, 2025 work session, County Manager Charlene Webb began the review of the regular meeting, which would take place on Jan. 9, 2025.]

The first presentation, at the regular meeting, was a recognition of Toby Rascon for his 30 years of service in the Road Department. Public Works Director Jason Lockett said he has been doing a great job since 1994, and presented Rascon with a jacket with his name and 30 years of service on it.

This year's team includes: (from left to right) Tanner Frost, Anabella Lopez, Kathryn Woodward, Christopher Bennett, Kayleigh Massengill, and Emma Drennan. FFA Advisor and coach Stephanie Moon On January 19th and 20th, the Silver FFA Chapter competed in the New Mexico State FFA chapter Parliamentary Procedure contest. The competition was held in Portales, NM at the Eastern New Mexico State University campus. The team placed 2nd in the state, competing against 11 other teams from around the state.

This contest requires FFA members to take a 45 question test on parliamentary law according to Roberts Rules of Order. Then they had to run a mock meeting where they were expected to debate a motion and decide whether or not the motion passed as a group. They were also expected to correctly execute an assigned motion and one other secondary motion.

Our FFA members did a fantastic job, with judges complementing them saying that they were a fun group to watch.

By Roger Lanse

Silver City Fire Department personnel from Stations1 and 2 responded to an alarm Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025, at about 7:25 p.m,. at the Silver City Care Center on Fowler Avenue. According to SCFD staff, the alarm was triggered by smoke detector activation in the kitchen.

When firefighters from Station 2 (32nd Street) arrived three minutes after being paged out and six minutes after for Station 1 (Hudson Street), they reported there was no fire or smoke. Care Center staff advised a staff member was using a leaf blower to clean the kitchen and that set off the smoke detector.

Immediately after engines from both stations arrived, the response was cancelled due to the false alarm.

[Editor's Note: This is part 3 of the Grant County Commission January 7, 2025 work session, which continues the county reports from department heads.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County Emergency Manager Scot Fuller presented the next county report at the Commission work session on Jan. 7, 2025.

He welcomed the new commissioners, District 3 Nancy Stephens, District 4 Eddie Flores and District 5 Thomas Shelley.

Traffic Alert – Roadway closure expected to last 30 minutes

SILVER CITY - The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) District One, in partnership with Mountain States Constructors, Inc., is widening U.S. 180 from a 2-lane to a 4-lane road from Bayard to Hurley.

Crews have planned a rock blast for Tuesday, January 21, 2025, at 12 p.m. U.S. 180 will be closed from Lusk St. to the Bayard Cemetery at milepost 125.8. Please expect delays. This closure is expected to last 30 minutes but no longer than 1 hour.

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

At 11 a.m. on a sunny, cool winter day, Jan. 15, 2025, a group of about 20 international students, as well as more students and staff members gathered on Regents' Square at Western New Mexico University to support and thank President Joseph Shepard for all he has done for every one of them and for all students and staff.

The main organizer was one of the Vivanco sisters from Mexico. She thanked Shepard for their opportunity to attend college and develop careers. She said that she had already been working, as a housekeeper, and in excellent English, she said she loved the WNMU International Students Club. "I've met people from all over the world—yes, Mexico, but also Argentina, Brazil and Spain and others."