Costello awaits judge’s decision
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
By Roger Lanse
A pretrial detention hearing was held Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Sixth Judicial District Court, Silver City, NM, in reference to Joseph William Costello, who was arrested and charged with an open count of murder in the first degree in the June 26, 2023, death of Stephen Timmons at the Dragonfly Trail System.
At a pretrial detention hearing, the judge decides, based on reports, whether the defendant can be released on pretrial supervision or held until trial.
According to District Attorney Michael Renteria, District Court Judge Jim Foy took the question of pretrial detention at the hearing under advisement. Renteria told the Beat that his office considers public safety above all else when making recommendations, and he believes their case against Costello to be strong enough to warrant him being detained until trial.
Photo Added: CLAY Festival national juried exhibition winners 2023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
Thanks go to Karen Hymer of Light Art Space, which hosted the 2023 Silver City CLAY Festival national juried exhibition. She reports these are the winners. Photos Courtesy of Karen Hamer.
2nd place - Heather Kaplan, “But Really? Ideally…”
Low-intensity Tub Fire burning on Quemado Ranger District
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
Firefighters improving along roads, seeking opportunities to construct control lines
QUEMADO, July 18, 2023 – Among a spate of wildfires started by frequent lightning strikes over the last week, the Tub Fire was identified Sunday afternoon near Tub Peak, south of Mangas Mountain, on the Gila National Forest, Quemado Ranger District. It is estimated to be 25 acres in size.
Under supervision of a Type 4 Incident commander, firefighters are removing surface fuels along existing roads in preparation for use as containment features. Crews are also scouting locations to construct control lines where roads are lacking. Currently, two Type 6 engines, a Hotshot crew, and a fire dozer are assigned, and an additional Hotshot crew has been ordered.
Heat Advisory extended 0718-072023
Upper Gila River Valley-Southern Gila Foothills/Mimbres Valley-
Southwest Desert/Lower Gila River Valley-Lowlands of the Bootheel-
Uplands of the Bootheel-Southwest Desert/Mimbres Basin-
Eastern Black Range Foothills-Sierra County Lakes-
Northern Dona Ana County-Southern Dona Ana County/Mesilla Valley-
Central Tularosa Basin-Southern Tularosa Basin-Otero Mesa-
Northern Hudspeth Highlands/Hueco Mountains-Salt Basin-
Southern Hudspeth Highlands-
Including the cities of Cliff, Buckhorn, Gila Hot Springs,
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 17 July 2023 17 July 2023
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
Oralia Lopez of Mata Ortiz paints fine lines on her pottery with a very fine brush
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
Oralia Lopez created these two pots out of many from Mata Ortiz that were on sale.
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
The Silver City Museum also offered a clay making workshop. Oralia Sowers and Derek and Zachary Clark worked on their creations.
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
Oralia Sowers created a complicated design on her small pot.
The Clay Festival took place all over town in Silver City. The Silver City Museum Annex featured a demonstration by Oralia Lopez of Mata Ortiz showing her fine brush technique. In the museum, a pottery-making workshop for kids and adults drew many to test their creativity. At the time, this photographer was there, three children were working on refining their pots.
Shoplifter jailed
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 17 July 2023 17 July 2023
By Roger Lanse
A Silver City Police Department officer was dispatched to the Dollar General at 1330 E. 32nd Street, on Friday, July 14, 2023, at about 8:46 a.m., in reference to a shoplifting. When the officer arrived, he was told by store employees that "Benjamin" had stolen merchandise from the store and threatened to physically harm the store's manager. "Benjamin" then left walking west on 32nd Street, the employees said.
According to a SCPD incident report, when the officer was shown a photo of the shoplifter, the officer was able to identify the male from previous encounters as Benjamin Hernandez, 33, of Silver City. The Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority confirmed Hernandez had an indefinite CTW to the Dollar General issued Oct. 4, 2022.