Front Page News

Photo Essay by Mary Alice Murphy

The Grant County DWI Program (driving while intoxicated) planned and hosted a comprehensive Teen Maze for middle school and high school students over three days at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center to educate the youths about the dangers and potential consequences of not only driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, but the health consequences also.

Pat Abalos, former Snell Middle School principal, now serves the DWI Program as a DWI specialist. He said the program is important because it brings education to the students that they would not get in the regular curricula of the schools. 

By Roger Lanse

On Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, at approximately 10:15 a.m., the San Lorenzo Elementary School was locked down after Grant County Sheriff's Office deputies were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance at 218 Laguna del Oso, Mimbres. A mother of two children at the school told the Beat she received a mass text informing her of the lockdown sometime between 10 and 11 a.m., it was updated throughout the day, and received a final text at 2:37 p.m. informing her the lockdown had been lifted.

According to GCSO blotter and offense reports, deputies were told by the Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority that Francis McCoy, 84, of the address, had shot at his wife "with his pistol" and missed and she was hiding outside. When deputies arrived, the victim, according to the reports, stated her husband "had been drinking" and "He pulled a gun out of the bedside table and pointed it at my head and fired one round. I don't know how it didn't hit me, but I was able to push myself away and grab my phone and run out the front door." She told deputies the bullet passed by her head and into the wall. She also stated her husband was still inside the residence.

Manuel Orozco Loya has been located and is safe. For details, contact the Deming Police Department at (575) 546-3011

If seen, contact The Deming Police Department at (575) 546-30111

Please see PDF below for more information.

Article by Mary Alice Murphy and Photos by Lynn Janes

Chamber luncheon speaker Raul Turrieta and Chamber Board President Bruce Ashburn

At the Feb. 1, 2024 Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon, Board Chair Bruce Ashburn first talked about the recent visit that Prospectors, the lobbying group of Grant County residents, politicians and business people, make to Santa Fe for the legislative session each year. The members speak to state officials, including the governor and cabinet secretaries, as well as legislators, to promote the county's priorities. Grant County Day this year included about 120 Grant Countians, Ashburn said. The all-day event ends with an always well-attended reception for cabinet secretaries and legislators.

"We made our presence known," Ashburn said. "We had a large booth with video that we will continue to use all over the state."

Article and photos by Mary Alice Murphy (Photos at the bottom of the article)

While the weather outside was stormy, snowy and chilly, many folks, perhaps after gathering chocolates during Chocolate Fantasia and visiting stores for Love Local, took shelter inside the Silco Theater in the afternoon to hear music and skits portraying the establishment of the Silver City Territorial Charter.

The program began with master of ceremonies Raul Turrieta introducing Alyssia Carrillo who sang several songs for the audience.

Turrieta then introduced Act 1 of the play, written by Kris Isom and directed by Phyllis McQuaide. Act 1 featured Gramps, played by Doug Dinwiddie, and Grandson Joe, portrayed by Ronan Euler.

Photos below by Mary Alice Murphy

The annual Chocolate Fantasia, this year themed "Xocolatl" took place in downtown Silver City on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, so people could collect chocolates for Valentine's Day. The event raises funds for the Mimbres Region Arts Council for programming. The snow flurries didn't slow people down as they went from store to store getting their ticket cards checked off for having received a homemade, handmade chocolate treat. 

Many stores also took part in the Love Local event happening at the same time.

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Consolidated Schools Board held a work session and regular meeting on January 22, 2024. Members in attendance included Ashley Montenegro, Michelle Diaz, Patrick Cohn, Mike McMillan, and Kimberly Klement. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended.

Work session

Judge Cynthia Clark attended the meeting to swear in new board member Kimberly Klement and re-elected board member Mike McMillan.

By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist

Michael Renteria was elected as District Attorney for the 6th Judicial District in 2020. No Republican ran against him. In the Democrat primary Norman Wheeler, then assistant DA, was his only opponent.

In 2023 Michael Renteria's office tried only 6 criminal cases with 60 employees. Using pre-Covid 2019 in comparison, 27 criminal cases were charged along with 5 civil cases using a staff of only 34 people.

While having a larger staff, Renteria's reduced charging of criminal cases in the past three years has had a harmful effect on Grant County. This effect is outlined in a letter from the Silver City Police Officers' Association (SCPOA):