Front Page News

By Lynn Janes

The Cobre Consolidated School Board held a regular meeting on May 28, 2024. Board members in attendance included Gabriella Begay, Gilbert Guadiana, David Terrazas, Angelina Hardin, and Emmarie Heredia. Superintendent Michael Koury also attended.

The council approved the agenda after discussion on public input. Guadiana objected to the agenda not providing a public input and public input on agenda items. "We are not being transparent, and it is policy. I have addressed this many times." Begay said she had just received the email from him today on the matter. She had reached out to legal counsel, and they agreed having it on the agenda twice would be redundant. She had included the matter in the agenda to discuss as a council.

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a meeting May 23, 2024. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza, trustees, Peter Erickson and Ralph Trujillo attended. Olga Amador didn't attend.

Mayor's report

By Lynn Janes

On May 23, 2024, the commission held a regular meeting at the city annex building.

Priscilla Lucero, director, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments, said they had not applied for colonias funding due to not being ready for construction until 2025. However, they had awarded $42 million for projects in southern New Mexico which left about $20 million that would be reiterated in August or September. They had sent in the EPA final request for funding but had to make adjustments. The EPA had also approved the PER (preliminary engineering report).

[Editor's Note: This is the first of several articles, photos and videos to come. Stay Tuned.]

Photos (below) by Mary Alice Murphy at the Saturday, June 8, 2024 artist and artisan mercado (market).

Vendors of hand-crafted and handmade items from clothing to furniture, from jewelry to home decor, from utilitarian to simply beautiful items for the home; from traditional art in various media, the choice was almost overwhelming. Don't miss it next year, if you did't get there this year!

[Editor's Note: This is the fourth and final of a series of articles of a long Grant County special meeting on April 23, 2024. It will continue the budget hearing]

Article by Mary Alice Murphy

The next presentation in the budget hearing on April 23, 2024 came from Treasurer Patrick Cohn.

He requested an increase of $1,500 for office supplies, which included $1,000 for a pallet of paper and $500 for the rise of costs for supplies.

Cohn also requested an additional $500 for an increase for the office's Cummings cash counting machine maintenance.

SILVER CITY, NM, June 9, 2024 – The lightning-caused Trip and Antone fires were reported west of Mangas Mountain on the Quemado Ranger District, Gila National Forest on June 7, 2024. Both fires were located within a 1/4 mile of each other and have since burned together and are being managed as the Antone fire. The Antone fire is currently 671 acres and is burning in primarily ponderosa pine and minimal mixed conifer. Observed fire behavior has been low intensity surface fire with moderate rates of spread. 

Currently, the Antone fire is being managed with a confine and contain strategy, using direct and indirect suppression and point protection tactics. This strategy is subject to change based on changing conditions. As always, the safety of our firefighters and community is our top priority. Management objectives include the continuation of restoration work in the Slaughter Mesa area to improve habitat and reduce fuel loads.

By Roger Lanse

The U.S. Forest Service is the incident command agency of the Whitetail Fire, an approximate100 acre blaze, on USFS land, southwest of White Signal, according to Maribeth Pecotte, USFS Public Information Officer. The fire is lightning-caused and started Friday morning, June 7, 2024.

Saturday, Jun 8, Pecotte noted three engines and a hot-shot crew are working to establish a perimeter around the burn site. Aided by air tankers dropping retardant, forward progress of the fire has been stopped and resources are 'anchored in,' meaning crews were able to locate their resources in a single location from which to tackle the fire.

Courtesy photo and video (video below)

Article by Roger Lanse

According to Tyrone Volunteer Fire Department Chief Mike Cox, two lightning-caused fires were ignited in the White Signal area on Friday, June 7, 2024. One, of about 100 acres, the Whitetail Fire, was on U.S. Forest Service land, and that agency assumed command responsibility.