Front Page News

By Roger Lanse

According to the New Mexico State Police, a fatal crash occurred today, Thursday, Oct. 17, 2024,

at about 9:45 a.m. in the eastbound lane of Highway 180 – MM 104 (2 miles east of Mangas Terrace).

The accident is still under investigation, so no other information was immediately available.  

By Roger Lanse

On Monday, Oct. 7, 2024, around 8 a.m., an employee of La Bonita Bakery, located at 3110 N. Silver Street, arrived to open up only to discover broken glass near a back door that had been broken. Entering the building the employee described the scene as "a total disarray."

According to a Silver City Police Department incident report, officers arrived at about 8:07 a.m. and immediately cleared the building for anyone who might still be inside. They observed several beverage refrigerators open with the contents scattered across the floor. Shelves normally packed with various food items were bare, the food products and packages also scattered across the floor. Other miscellaneous items were thrown to the floor and in another room a bed had its mattress and box springs moved off the bedframe.

Photos and article by Lynn Janes

A group of patriotic citizens came together to fly the American Flag, Trump flags and show their pride for America. A few weeks ago, this group had done the same thing only this time the number participating was triple the previous number. They met at the Horseman’s Rodeo Arena and went as a group through town ending up at the Walmart parking lot. 

The event had a large turnout. Some had flags flying from the bed of their trucks and some flew them out of the windows of their cars or had them attached to their vehicle. No matter how they displayed their flags they all did it so show their love of their country. Due to traffic lights, the parade became broken up into many parades. 

By Roger Lanse

On Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to a garage fire below MM 5, at 4603 Highway 15. PAVFR Chief Ed Downard told the Beat the stand-alone garage, a couple hundred feet away from the residence, was a total loss as was a charred vehicle inside. He said the probable cause of the blaze was a welding spark.

PAVFR, together with the Whiskey Creek Volunteer Fire and Rescue and Grant County Fire Chief Roger Groves, rolled nine vehicles and 16 firefighters to the fire. No injuries were reported. Wild lands surrounding the garage were not affected, contrary to an earlier report.

By Roger Lanse

Black smoke and several fire engines were reported along Highway 15 up toward Pinos Altos Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2024, at about 4 p.m. A call to U.S. Forest Service staff revealed a new fire in that area was on State land.

A New Mexico Forestry Division coordinator was contacted who told the Beat that a structure fire had spread to about one-quarter acre around the building and forward progress had been stopped. Firefighters from the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire and Rescue were on scene, the coordinator said.

By Roger Lanse

When Silver City Police Department officers responded to a disturbance complaint at the Hudson Street Snappy Mart, 206 N. Hudson Street, Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2024, at about 5:56 p.m., they observed two males arguing behind the cash register. According to a SCPD incident report, one of the men, Vincent Sandoval, 26, of Silver City, told an officer he just wanted to get his phone and go home. The officer informed him he was not going to be allowed to leave since a strong odor of alcohol could be detected on his breath. The phone was found by officers and returned to Sandoval, who advised he was under probation.

Meanwhile, a second officer was speaking with the other male identified as Akmal Awwad, 37, with an Albuquerque address. Akmal advised he did not want to press charges and just wanted Sandoval to go home.

By Roger Lanse

Pamela Reipold, 55, of Silver City, was heading west on Highway 180 at MM 96 (1 mile east of Mangas) on Thursday, Oct. 3, 2024, at about 9:24 p.m., when she was surprised by a large animal crossing the highway in front of her from the south. According to a Grant County Sheriff's Office accident report, Reipold was travelling 55-60 mph and because of darkness collided with the elk causing damage to the front driver side of her vehicle – fender, headlight, grill, and hood -- and killing the elk on impact. Deputies could see elk hair lodged between the hood and fender.

According to the report, Reipold's vehicle was still driveable. There were no human injuries and no EMS response.

By Roger Lanse

Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to Gila Regional Medical Center on Oct. 1, 2024, at about 6 p.m., to a reported gunshot wound. According to a GCSO offense report, a male patient, Navarre Gulick, 33, of Mimbres, had been taken to the hospital from "somewhere in Hanover," by a friend as Gulick had accidentally shot himself in the right upper thigh with a .22 caliber handgun.