The Beat called Southwest Solid Waste Authority to find out why the cardboard recycling bins have not been in the Harbor Freight parking lot the past two weeks.

The explanation given was that they have a truck down , so it is slowing their pick up and replacement, which includes Hurley, Mimbres, Cliff and Silver City.

Another call to Alex Brown, Town of Silver City manager, who serves on the SWSWA board, resulted in the Beat finding out that the one at Harbor Freight would not be returning to the location at the request of the business owner.

Brown said they are currently looking for another location, perhaps returning one to the Grant County Administration Center parking lot, but at this point anyone wishing to recycle cardboard locally in Silver City will have to take a trip to the dump.

Watch Worldclass Bike Racing at 38th Tour of the Gila 

Pro and Amateur Competitors To Race in Silver City Next Week

Silver City, NM — For the 38th year, Tour of the Gila invites visitors to southwest New Mexico for the annual opportunity to watch top bicycling talent compete on the roads in and around Silver City. Set for Wednesday, April 23, through Sunday, April 27, 2025, Tour of the Gila provides both competitive pro bicyclists and amateur athletes with an iconic challenge. 

As cyclists pedal scenic racecourses over five days, fans can watch and even get involved through volunteering. Recreational cyclists of all ages can join in on their own bikes during the citizen fun races.

The most spectator-friendly stage is the Downtown Silver City Criterium on Saturday, April 26. Adding to the competitive atmosphere, centered around support for the athletes, is a beer garden for adults and kid-friendly activities for the youngest fans.

“My favorite part of the entire week is when the tiny little ones line up to race 100 yards during the Downtown Silver City Criterium,” race director Jack Brennan said. “It’s even more fun when the whole state shows up to cheer them on.”

One of the longest continually running bike races in the country, Tour of the Gila will again be sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI). Professional and elite cycling teams from across the globe received invitations to compete in Silver City for points that count toward events like the 2028 LA Summer Olympics. Tour of the Gila is the country’s only UCI stage race for men and one of just two UCI stage races for women in all of North America.

For amateur competitors, Tour of the Gila offers USA Cycling-sanctioned races as well as citizen fun races that allow recreational athletes to join the fun. 

Sign up for the citizen fun races at bikereg.com/tour-of-the-gila-citizen-fun-races.

Register for a USA Cycling-sanctioned race at bikereg.com/tour-of-the-gila.

Learn how to watch the races or volunteer at TourOfTheGila.com. The website also provides travel information. Pick up a printed Tour of the Gila 2025 Spectator Guide at the Silver City Daily Press offices or one of the paper’s distribution sites around Grant County.

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Tour of the Gila is the iconic road bicycling stage race in Silver City, New Mexico. Since 1987, Tour of the Gila has become renowned worldwide for notoriously challenging courses. Over five days, athletes follow routes leading from the town’s colorful streets, through the region’s rich history, and along the edges of the nation’s first designated wilderness. Sanctioned by both the global and national governing bodies of cycling, Tour of the Gila provides a rare opportunity for amateur competitive cyclists to compete on the same courses (and on the same days) as the pros. The 38th Tour of the Gila will run from April 23-27, 2025.

CRITICAL TO EXTREME FIRE WEATHER FOR SOUTHERN NEW MEXICO AND FAR WEST TEXAS ON THURSDAY... .An upper level trough is expected to swing through the Four Corners on Thursday aligning the jet stream across much of New Mexico. This will develop a lee cyclone over Eastern Colorado while deep mixing taps into higher winds aloft. Windy to very windy conditions will combine with single-digit lowland minimum RH values with only the highest elevations seeing minimum RH values in the teens. When combined with very dry fuels, critical to possibly extreme fire weather conditions are expected for Thursday afternoon.

Southwest Mountains/Gila NF/Apache NF/GLZ-
Southwest Deserts and Lowlands/Las Cruces BLM/GLZ-
South Central Lowlands and Southern Rio Grande Valley/BLM/GLZ-

Read more …

Eastern Black Range Foothills-Sierra County Lakes-West Slopes
Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet-Sacramento Mountains Above
7500 Feet-East Slopes Sacramento Mountains Below 7500 Feet-
Southern Gila Region Highlands/Black Range-West Central Tularosa
Basin/White Sands-
Including the cities of Lake Roberts, Timberon, Sunspot,
Mescalero, White Sands National Park, Spaceport, Chaparral,
Apache Summit, Truth Or Consequences, Derry, Mountain Park,
Kingston, Mayhill, Sacramento, Pinon, Hillsboro, Cloudcroft,
White Sands Range Headquarters, and Winston

Read more …

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

[Editor's Note: Thanks to Ruben for previewing my article, correcting spellings and adding some explanations.]

On Friday afternoon, April 11, Ruben Leyva, who researches his Apache family roots in southwest New Mexico, presented his findings at a presentation at the Silver City Public Library to about  60 or more people.

Leyva is working on a Ph.D. in Apache History at the University of New Mexico in Native American Studies. He opened his presentation on Friday by saying: "It is my honor to be here and have people interested in my family."

His project focuses on the Gila Apache, today's modern Chiricahua. He works with the Chihene N'de Nation, which is seeking to become an American-recognized tribe.

Read more …

New flags, donated by the FBHPS, fly over Fort Bayard.Tanner Guskey, representing the Sons of Spanish-American War Veterans, donors of the new base and flagpole, and Doug Dinwiddie, FBHPS president, stand at he new base and flagpole.Photos Courtesy of Denise Singleton, FBHPS secretary

On Saturday evening, the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society (FBHPS) dedicated a new flagpole and plaque at the base, donated by the Sons of the Spanish-American War Veterans. The new pole is located on the original Fort Bayard Parade Ground.

The FBHPS donated the 45-star US flag, representing the time of the Spanish-American War, and the Rough Riders Regimental flag.

About 50 people attended the event, which was followed by an open house at the Fort Bayard Museum, located in the historic house, once inhabited by the fort's commanding  officer.