By Roger Lanse

An Arenas Valley resident and amateur birder reports the rare sighting of a pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks, male and female, at their home the morning of Thursday, June 5, 2025. The pair reportedly flew into a front yard willow tree, hanging out for only a few seconds before flying off not to be seen again. Needless to say, the birder and his birding partner told the Beat they were over the moon elated, as they had only seen the bird once before in September of 2003.

The rose-breasted grosbeak is not listed in the bird checklists of the Southwest New Mexico Birding Trail or the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and is listed as 'rare' and 'transient during migration' in the Gila National Forest checklist.

LORDSBURG, N.M. – County healthcare services provider Hidalgo Medical Services announced today the transition of senior care services at four of its five locations as identified by the Non-Metro Area Agency on Aging (NMAAA).

The HMS CEO and Board of Directors issued notification letters of its service termination today, in compliance with its contract with the NMAAA. The notification states that 60 days after the letter date, HMS will return all responsibilities for the senior centers back to the agencies identified by the NMAAA, due to rising operational costs.

Photos Courtesy of Kim Clark

Grand Entry

Photo by Mary Alice Murphy

[Editor's Note: This photographer tried to get all the Mercado booths, but some escaped her. Enjoy what's there!}

¡Fiesta  Latina! 2025 took over Regent's Square and other nearby venues on the Western New Mexico University campus since Thursday evening. The event included concerts, dancing, music, demonstrations, activities for kids, charros, and always a popular part of the event is the Mercado. This year, about 35 vendors came to Silver City from all parts of Mexico with their handmade jewelry, textiles of various fabrics and colors, alebrijes (which are fantastical animal figures, usually brightly painted), leather goods, pine needle baskets, straw paintings, feather art and so many more creative and beautiful items to admire and purchase. It's always a place to buy gifts of handmade creations for throughout the year, and, of course, a little something for the purchaser, too.

By Roger Lanse

On Thursday, May 29, 2025, at about 3:34 p.m., Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to the Jalisco Café, 103 S. Bullard Street, in reference to a male customer who doesn't have money to pay for his food. According to the SCPD blotter, the male was given the option of leaving an item behind so the reporting person could use the item to get money to pay for the meal. The male customer refused. Officers were advised the male was now in the front lobby.

Officers issued the male, Bradley Romail, 45, from out-of-state, a 2-year criminal trespass warning to the restaurant, and he left walking. No charges were filed.

By Roger Lanse

Silver City Police Department officers responded to a disturbance call at the Copper Manor Motel, 710 Silver Heights Blvd., on Thursday, May 29, 2025, at about 7:15 a.m., where three male subjects were reported to have a fourth male at gunpoint. According to an SCPD incident report, upon arrival an officer observed three males and a female at the east end of the motel and a lone male, known to the officer as Ronnie Carbajal, 30, of Silver City, standing in the parking lot. The officer described Carbajal as "clearly intoxicated and impaired" and speaking "gibberish." Carbajal also had a spiked dog collar wrapped around his right wrist.