By Scott Terry

It happens with every New Year... CHANGES. It seems that it is inevitable that with the change of each New Year, other changes must take place.

With the beginning of 2015, the State Secretary of the New Mexico Tourism Department is leaving that job for another one in state government. The plastic bag ordinance becomes the law of the town in Silver City, and there should be changes to thicker plastic bags, or maybe paper bags, or maybe no bags... B.Y.O.B. (bring your own bag). The Republicans are changing the landscape in Santa Fe by holding a majority of the seats in the House. And the Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce is moving to a new location.

Of course that change had to be inevitable. It seems the Chamber office moves every couple of years. However this move is a pretty good one. The Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce will have a new office in Watts Hall, a WNMU Building located at the corner of Swan Street and Highway 180.

Hopefully people will be able to find the Chamber office a little easier after this move. When my wife and I visited Silver City back in 2013 to meet with Chamber officials, I looked up the Chamber office on my cell phone. Wow... my phone listed four locations. We drove to each spot only to find that the Chamber of Commerce was not there. We were staying at the Holiday Inn, so I asked the nice folks at the front desk if they knew where to find the Chamber of Commerce. You guessed it... that was an incorrect address also. So I am standing in the Holiday Inn parking lot, scratching my head, wondering... where in the heck can the Chamber office be (it's like a Where's Waldo puzzle)? Then what to my wandering eyes should appear, but a banner that reads Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce. It was right across the arroyo from the Holiday Inn. This was definitely a "duh" moment!

Well no more "duh" moments. The Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce is now located on a street that has a name. We're in a great location for our members, for potential new businesses and residents, and even tourists. Some changes can be good, and we are pretty positive this is a great change for the Chamber of Commerce. Hope you will drop by to see us – next week!

We hope you have a safe and Happy New Year!