Front Page News

By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist

The estimated population for Grant County in 2023 was 27,474.  If the under 18 are taken out (22.9%)* that leaves 21,181adults.  According to the Secretary of State website, there were 20,930 eligible voters.  That’s 99% of adults.

Back in 2016, the percentage of registered adults was 62% in Grant County, but for the 2020 election, it skyrocketed to 97%.  According to Pew Research: 

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting November 12, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, , Nicholas Prince (phone) and Stan Snider. Rudy Bencomo didn't attend

Council comments.

Cano wanted to let everyone know about some upcoming events for the weekend. The Red Paint Wowow at the university and the Tamal Festival at Fort Bayard. On December 8, 2024, Cano will be directing a production at the Fine Arts Theater called A Chicano Christmas. It will play only once at 2:00 pm and the tickets will be $5.

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Consolidated Schools held a special meeting, on November 8, 2024. Members in attendance Ashley Montenegro, Michelle Diaz, Patrick Cohn, Mike McMillan and Kimberly Klement. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended.

Mark Valenzuela, financial advisor, Bosque Advisors LLC attended the meeting and Luis Carrasco, Romero Law Firm,  joined online to make a bond counsel presentation and resolution review.

Photo Courtesy of a driver stuck in the resulting traffic backup.

By Roger Lanse

A New Mexico State Police official told the Beat, that on Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024, a single vehicle crash occurred on Highway 180 at Caballero Drive, about three miles east of Silver City. The female driver of the 2012 Toyota SUV involved in the crash was airlifted to Texas. Her condition is not known at this time. Two children who were passengers in the vehicle were uninjured. After being checked out by EMS personnel, the children were picked up by family members.

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a public hearing November 8, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, Rudy Bencomo, Nicholas Prince and Stan Snider.

The council approved (Prince voted no) the transfer of the dispensary type liquor license to Fast Stop Management LLC located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The license will be located at 123 West 12th Street, 1810 North Swan Street and 206 North Hudson Street.

Ladner asked if anyone had any previous discussions with anyone regarding the subject matter of the hearing. None of the council had.

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a public hearing October 29, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, Rudy Bencomo, Nicholas Prince and Stan Snider.

The council approved the restaurant beer and wine license for La Vie Est Un Bistro at 112 West Yankie Street. It will allow for on premises consumption only by the drink and patio service.

Ladner asked if anyone had any previous discussions with anyone regarding the subject matter of the hearing. Prince said he had an email from the applicant asking about the process and passed them to town management. He offered to recuse himself with a recommendation from the town attorney. The council did not see a reason for him to recuse himself.

Silver City -- Motorists traveling north on Little Walnut Road patiently waited for the green light as improvements to this major roadway continue. Phase four of this multi-year street improvement project is scheduled to be completed in mid-February, on schedule, said Peter Peña, director of Silver City's Public Works Department. This phase began just north of Chavez Lane and will end just south of Jack Frost Drive, and includes approximately 1/2 mile of paving, new curb and gutter, ADA-compliant sidewalks on the west side of the street, bike lanes and new box culverts at Cottonwood Creek for improved drainage and safety. A temporary road will be built for the box culvert construction portion of the project, which is now underway.

This $3.6 million portion of Little Walnut improvements was funded by Colonias Infrastructure monies as well as funding from the state Department of Transportation.

For more information, please contact Peter Peña at (575) 388-4640.

Deming, NM – Using the Automatic License Plate Recognition system, New Mexico State Police were able to arrest a mother who had kidnapped her children from Texas and fled the state.

On November 16 at approximately 2:15 p.m., NMSP uniform officers from Deming were given information about 5 missing endangered children that were taken by their biological mother from Texas and had fled the state. A be on the lookout (BOLO) was given for a black SAAB sedan with Texas plates.
An automatic license plate reader picked up the vehicle and assisted officers in narrowing down the time, location, and direction the vehicle was last seen. Officers found the vehicle parked at the Loves travel center in Lordsburg, NM. The mother of the children was identified as Qwaunice Tippitt (31). She was arrested on kidnapping charges out of the Bexar County Sheriff's Office and was taken into custody without incident. Charles Jones (32) was found with Tippitt and was also arrested on kidnapping charges.

The children were taken back to the Lordsburg State Police Office where they were then picked up and taken back into custody by representatives from Texas Child Protective Services.