Front Page News
Grant County Commission work session 022024
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 07 March 2024 07 March 2024
From left front are Grant County Extension Family and Consumer Science Agent and 4-H Lauren Baker, 4-H Council Vice President Kayleigh Massengill, Secretary Krysten Jones, Reporter Allie Miller, Treasurer Christopher Bennett, President Tucker Gatlin and County Agent and 4-H Jessica Massengill, with Commissioners Edwards, Browne and Ponce behind.
Photo and article by Mary Alice Murphy
The Grant County Commission work session on Feb. 20, 2024 featured two presentations.
The first presentation came from Wendy Raven Phillips and Laura Aubry, talking about the Housing and Behavioral Health Taskforce.
Fight involves use of atypical weapon
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 07 March 2024 07 March 2024
By Roger Lanse
A Silver City Police Department officer was dispatched to 1221 Louisiana Street on Monday, Mar. 5, at approximately 10:53 a.m., to a reported fight involving a paintball gun. According to an SCPD incident report, the caller advised that a male had come into his residence who had been shot in the stomach with a paintball gun and was having trouble breathing.
When the officer arrived, the report stated, he observed the 33-year-old victim of the address had blood coming from his nose, the outside of his left ear, and had bruising/welts on his left arm and stomach. The victim told the officer he was walking outside when an unknown assailant shot him with a paintball gun.
CORRECTED: Local motorcyclist dies in traffic crash
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 06 March 2024 06 March 2024
By Roger Lanse
Friday, Mar. 1, 2024, at about 3:15 p.m., Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to a vehicular fatality. When they arrived, they found a black Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Gino Vannatter, 23, of Silver City, had collided with a tan Toyota van driven by Gumersindo Estevez, 85, of Gila. The crash, according to a Silver City Police Department accident report, occurred on Highway 180 and Superior Street in front of the Wendy's restaurant.
According to the report, the motorcycle was traveling east on Highway 180, while the van was heading north on Superior Street. An investigation revealed the van made a complete stop at the stop sign on Superior Street before going across the eastbound lanes of Highway 180. Just before entering the median, to merge into the westbound lanes of Highway 180, the motorcycle collided with the van in a "T-Bone manner." Neither the driver of the van nor his passenger saw or heard the motorcycle until the impact, they said.
Local motorcyclist dies in traffic crash
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 05 March 2024 05 March 2024
By Roger Lanse
Friday, Mar. 1, 2024, at about 3:15 p.m., Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to a vehicular fatality. When they arrived, they found a black Harley-Davidson motorcycle driven by Gino Vannatter, 23, of Silver City, had collided with a tan Toyota van driven by Gumersindo Estevez, 85, of Gila. The crash, according to a Silver City Police Department accident report, occurred on Highway 180 and Superior Street in front of the Wendy's restaurant.
According to the report, the motorcycle was traveling east on Highway 180, while the van was heading north on Superior Street. An investigation revealed the van made a complete stop at the stop sign on Superior Street before going across the eastbound lanes of Highway 180. Just before entering the median, to merge into the westbound lanes of Highway 180, the motorcycle collided with the van in a "T-Bone manner.' Neither the driver of the van nor his passenger saw or heard the motorcycle until the impact, they said.
Family missing $75,000
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 05 March 2024 05 March 2024
By Roger Lanse
On Sunday, Feb. 25, 2024, at around 2:56 p.m., a Grant County Sherif's Office deputy made contact with Carol Garcia, 54, of Gilbert, Arizona, at 3 Artcher Road, Space 9, in Silver City. Garcia is the owner of the property, and she told the deputy, according to a GCSO offense report, "We came from Arizona because were(sp.) heard that Jesus Flores had passed away from the accident that happened yesterday. We got here at around 10:30 a.m. and wanted to get his stuff out of the house to give to his family. I do own the trailer, we just let him stay here because his wife had passed away and he only stayed in the room. When we tried opening the door, we noticed the door was broken. I didn't find out till later that he had $75,000 in a black box under his bed along with important documentation. The neighbor told me that the money was under the bed and my mom had actually seen the money before she passed, so I know it was there."
Grant County Commission work session 020624 and regular meeting 020824, part 7
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 04 March 2024 04 March 2024
[Editor's Note: This is the seventh and last of a series of articles on the Feb. 6, 2024, Grant County Commission work session and Feb. 8, 2024, regular meeting. This continues with the work session review of the regular meeting agenda and completes the business at the regular meeting.Article by Mary Alice Murphy
The work session of the Grant County Commission on Feb. 6, 2024 continued with the review of the regular meeting agenda on Feb. 8, 2024.
The first item of new business addressed the consideration of an appointment to fill a vacancy on the Gila Regional Medical Center Board of Trustees. for a term to run through June 30, 2025.
At the regular meeting, District 4 Commissioner Billy Billings nominated Jason Amaro.
The District Attorney and the Democrat Councilwoman – Part One
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 04 March 2024 04 March 2024
By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist
Photo courtesy of councilwoman
On May 8, 2023 at a Bayard City Council work session, councilwoman Frances Gonzales made a public, political statement*describing an attempted break-in at her home the night before and why she chose not to call 911. She didn't call because Bayard did not have 24-hour police protection. (There was an officer on duty.) The council then had to discuss how the Police Department could maximize coverage with the resources it had.
Police Chief Hector Carrillo called one of his officers to City Hall to speak to Gonzales after the council's session ended. Gonzales told the officer she had an appointment and would contact the officer the next day. When she failed to do so, Officers Valerie Barboa and Manuel Galaz went to Gonzales' home two separate times the next afternoon. Gonzales was not home the first time but was able to see them later through her surveillance cameras.
Traffic fatality on Highway 180
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 04 March 2024 04 March 2024
By Roger Lanse
Silver City Police Department officers responded to an accident between a van and a motorcycle at 2289 Superior (Wendy's) on Friday, Mar. 1, 2024, at about 3:10 p.m.
According to an SCPD blotter report, the motorcycle rider was "ejected." EMS personnel stated Vannatter was unresponsive. EMS personnel considered launching Native Air, the blotter report said, then said "CPR in progress. Will go to ER. Native 32 stay at base."