Front Page News

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Consolidated Schools held a work session and regular meeting August 25, 2025. Members in attendance included Ashley Montenegro, Michelle Diaz, Patrick Cohn, Mike McMillan and Kimberly Klement. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended

Work session

This work session was held to just discuss and review the agenda setting procedure policy in regard to board meetings.

Montenegro opened up the floor for discussion and said she hoped to clarify and clean up the board's intention around open public comment. Currently it says on the agenda public comment on agenda items only. The policy had been included in the board packet for the meeting.

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County Fair took place this year from Sept. 17-21, 2025 at the Grant County Fairgrounds, in Cliff, New Mexico. FFA and 4-H students raised animals, everything from chickens to geese and ducks and peafowl to  rabbits, lots of pigs, steers, heifers, goats and sheep. The Exhibit Hall is always full of organizations, vendors,  and, exhibits including plants, flowers, quilts,  canned items, fresh vegetables,  and many art exhibits of paintings, photographs, and a large area for school exhibits, mostly art work showing the vast talent of county students. No one can go hungry at the fair, with a choice of everything from barbecue sandwiches, corn dogs, Mexican food, drinks to squelch one's thirst and  desserts to top them off. 

See photos below representing some of the  animal raising, vendors and organizations outside and inside the exhibit hall and the artwork on display. 

By Mary Alice Murphy Photos by Lynn Janes

The Aug. 7, 2025 Silver City Chamber of Commerce luncheon featured Silver Consolidated School Superintendent William Hawkins and a thank you from the American Legion for everyone who donated to them for their involvement in keeping fed the volunteer firefighters, while they participated in fighting the Trout Fire.

Hawkins presented a long presentation on the feasibility study and bond projects for the schools.

He said the study recommended consolidating schools to help address the 2.4 percent decline in student enrollment over the past five years.

The bond project will be on the ballots of the election to take place this fall on November. 4, 2025. The election also includes municipal elections of mayors and councilors/trustees, as well as school board members for the Silver and Cobre consolidated school districts.

September 18, 2025 I Sixth Judicial District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler announced today that RAY HOLGUIN, 35, was found Guilty by a Silver City Jury to 1 Count: Aggravated Battery [Great Bodily Harm], a third-degree felony, and Disorderly Conduct, a misdemeanor occurring on June 6th, 2024. This case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Mark Abramson.

On June 6, 2024, Bayard Police officers responded to a report of a fight in progress at Billy's Badazz Bargin Store located at 104 Hurley Ave. The victim stated that he went around the back of the store with the intent of working on the Air Conditioning unit behind the building. He found HOLGUIN behind the building and when HOLGUIN saw him, he began yelling profanities at him in an aggressive manner. HOLGUIN then charged and punched the victim multiple times, with the victim falling. Holguin then continued to beat him on the ground. A bystander saw the fight, stopped and told HOLGUIN he had called the police. Upon arrival, Bayard Poliofficers arrested HOLGUIN at the scene.

IWednesday, September17, 2025 I Sixth Judicial District Attorney Norman R. Wheeler announced today that Issaih Villalba (26) was held without bond on charges of Criminal Sexual Penetration (1st Degree), Kidnapping (1st Degree), Sexual Exploitation of Children (2nd Degree), Aggravated Battery (Misdemeanor).

The State was represented by Chief Deputy District Attorney Cynthia Clark. Sixth Judicial District Court Judge, the Honorable Judge Foy presided at the hearing. Judge Foy granted the State's Motion for Pretrial Detention, finding that that VILLALBA was a danger to the victim and the community.

BLM has made the decision not to implement the prescribed fires in PA this Fall.

Although Pinos Altos received much needed precipitation, The Las Cruces District Fire and Fuels Mangers made the decision that we will not implement the prescribed fires in Pinos Altos this Fall. Current conditions and the ongoing drought and soil moistures are not trending well to successfully meet objectives to remove the biomass and improve the stand health. We will continue assessing the fuels conditions in the burn units, and see if a window presents itself after the new calendar year. I appreciate the help and support with public outreach and look forward to working with Grant County again in the future. Any questions, please feel free to contact me.

Jon Selby
District Fuels Specialist

575-525-4325 

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

Literacy-Link Leamos hosted the Love Your Library Day at the Silver City Public Library on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025. The event had several tables for kids' activities, as well as a puppet show, with kids as the main characters. A table full of give-aways drew adults and kids to choose something. Books a-plenty were available for kids and theirparents.The Blue Cross-Blue Shield Care Van came down to answer questions and promote their health care services, and a representative from the NMSU Library had a table, with information. A bubble machine outside pumped out plenty of bubbles and an open jam featured musicians entertaining the public. 

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

The Makers Market and Co.Starters joined forces on Saturday to highlight a few of the Co.Starters 47 active businesses created through the program. another 56 are getting going, according to Aubri Gamez of Co.Starters.  The Silver City Rotary Club also joined in to hold a bake sale. Several of the regular Makers Market booths were also there, although not as many as usual, perhaps chased away by the threatening rain.