Front Page News

By Roger Lanse

The owner of Artisan Painting, at 3130-A E. Highway 180, informed the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority, Saturday, June 29, 2024, at about 10:50 a.m., of a burglary at his business. When a Silver City Police Department officer arrived at the address around 11 a.m., the victim told the officer he arrived at his business about 10 minutes earlier to find the combination lock to his utility trailer missing.

According to an SCPD incident report, the victim stated when he opened the rear door to a utility trailer, he saw that a Graco Magnum X7 paint sprayer valued at $700, along with a 50-foot air compressor hose valued at $200, were not there. The last time the equipment was seen, the victim said, was two days earlier.

To download a PDF of the release, please visit the following link: Freeport Commences Commissioning of New Indonesian Smelter and Provides Update on Second-Quarter 2024 Copper and Gold Sales

PHOENIX--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Freeport (NYSE: FCX) announced today that its Indonesian subsidiary, PT Freeport Indonesia (PT-FI), substantially completed construction of its new Manyar smelter in Gresik, Indonesia in June 2024 and has commenced commissioning operations. FCX expects the smelter will begin producing copper cathodes in the coming months and continues to target full ramp up by the end of 2024 in line with previous expectations.

Richard C. Adkerson, Chairman of the Board, and Kathleen L. Quirk, President and Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are pleased to announce this important milestone for our new smelter in Indonesia. Our team executed this large and complex project extremely well and is prepared to deliver the ramp-up to full production safely and efficiently. The completion of the project positions PT-FI as a fully integrated producer in Indonesia, providing a foundation to extend its long-term operating rights."

By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist

Maurine LaneyIn 2016 a constitutional amendment was passed on Bail Reform. It was sponsored by New Mexico Supreme Court Justice, Charles W. Daniels.

These changes to the law were at least part of the reason Magistrate Judge Maurine Laney retired from the bench. Laney said "I retired because I felt that common sense had been legislated out of the law and as judge, I could no longer do any good. The amendment actually stopped me from helping people. I was no longer allowed to use my judgment and common sense in setting a bond. I had to depend on a prosecutor to make a motion. If they dropped the ball, a dangerous person would be released and bad things could happen."

Also Date corrected.

By Roger Lanse

According to Grant County Sheriff's Office staff, on Friday, June 28, 2024, GCSO deputies responded to 15 Monte Street in Arenas Valley where the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority advised a woman had reportedly been shot by her son. Deputies arrived on scene at about 9:31 p.m. and found the woman, shot in her left side, at a neighbor's residence across the street, where she had walked to get help. GCSO staff said a .45 pistol was used in the shooting.

By Roger Lanse

According to an unofficial statement from a local law enforcement source, a woman was shot in the stomach Saturday, June 24, in Arenas Valley. She was transported to University Hospital. A search warrant was executed in an effort to secure additional evidence. The case is under investigation. No other information is available at this time.

By Lynn Janes

On June 27, 2024, the Grant County Water Commission held a regular meeting at the City Annex building.

Geoff Rawling, New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, joined the meeting online to give a presentation. He has been doing aquifer mapping of New Mexico. He provided graphs of what had been done in the eastern part of the state high plains aquifer. They provide scientific data and interpretations pertaining to the states groundwater and help people and entities make informed decisions concerning the groundwater.

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a meeting June 13, 2024. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza, trustees, Olga Amador and Peter Erickson attended. Ralph Trujillo didn't attend.

Mayor's report

Lopez said the next day would be the first music in the park and they will be having root beer floats. He asked everyone to come and meet the council and employees of the village. It will be a way to kick off the summer.

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting June 11, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, Rudy Bencomo, Nicholas Prince (phone), and Stan Snider.

Proclamations

The Town of Silver City proclaimed the week of June 17-23, 2024, First New Mexico Bank Wild Wild West Rodeo week. Ladner went over the rich history of rodeo in the southwest. The rodeo will be celebrating 32 years in Silver City and will be presented by the Southwest Horsemen's Association and Casper Baca Rodeo Company.