Grant County Commission heard presentations at work session 091520

[Editor's Note: This will be the first of several articles about the Grant County Commission work session on Sept. 15, 2020 and later in the series the regular meeting on Sept. 17, 2020. This meeting was fraught with YouTube stoppages, so it may take a while to get all the information.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

Gila National Forest Silver City Ranger District's Beth Ihle gave the first presentation at the Grant County Commission work session on Sept. 15, 2020. She gave two handouts to the commissioners addressing a collaboration between the Forest Service and the Natural Resource Conservation Services for the Joint Chiefs Landscape Restoration Project.

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NMDOT announces reconstruction work on US 180 in Grant County

SILVER CITY – The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) District One will begin a $1.4 million dollar project on US 180 east of Silver City starting late September. This almost 5-mile construction project will address drainage, structure repairs and roadway reconstruction.

This project is expected to take about 6 months to complete, weather permitting. During the project, motorists can expect lane closures and temporary lane restrictions. Speed will be reduced to 35 mph. Motorists are encouraged to use caution while driving through the work zone and obey all traffic signs. 

The New Mexico Department of Transportation is committed to the safety of the traveling public and thanks you for your cooperation during this work. For updated information go to: New Mexico Department of Transportation at www.nmroads.com or call 511.

New Mexico COVID-19 update: 119 new cases, totaling 27,041 - 091520

Two additional COVID-19 deaths

SANTA FE – New Mexico state health officials on Wednesday announced 119 additional COVID-19 cases. Per the state Department of Health, the most recent cases are:
14 new cases in Bernalillo County
10 new cases in Chaves County
2 new cases in Cibola County
2 new cases in Curry County
9 new cases in Doña Ana County
14 new cases in Eddy County
1 new case in Guadalupe County
16 new cases in Lea County
2 new cases in McKinley County
3 new cases in Rio Arriba County
15 new cases in Roosevelt County
3 new cases in Sandoval County
10 new cases in San Juan County
10 new cases in Santa Fe County
4 new cases in Socorro County
3 new cases in Taos County
1 new case among New Mexico Corrections Department inmates at the Central New Mexico Correctional Center in Valencia County

The Department of Health on Wednesday reported two additional deaths in New Mexico related to COVID-19:

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AES issues apology and explanation of wrong names on absentee applications

It has come to our attention from Grant County Clerk Marissa Castrillo that there was an error in addresses to voters on the NMAV-1 Absent Voter Applications.

After reviewing the issue, we have determined that it was totally our error. Image files were damaged in the production of the NMAV-1 mailing for Grant County.

We are in the process of producing and remailing corrected Absent Voter Applications to the voters of Grant County. Of course, this will be done at no cost to the county or to the New Mexico Secretary of State.

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Whitlock Files Ethics Complaint Against Dow During Blackout Period, When Validity Can't Be Determined

Research Firm Had Information Since June/July

By Etta Pettijohn

Before state lawmakers created an ethics commission two years ago, they spent a great deal of time discussing their fears that frivolous complaints could be filed as a political weapon to damage a public official's reputation.

Those fears materialized this week, as the democrat opponent of Rep. Rebecca Dow, (R-38) filed an ethics complaint against her just weeks before the Nov. 3 general election, claiming Dow violated state conflict-of-interest and financial disclosure laws when seeking state grants for the non-profit Appletree Educational Center.

The timing of the complaint means it will be long after the election before the New Mexico Ethics Commission determines if the allegations have any validity. A 60-days (before the election) blackout period was established in the law creating the entity, where the Commission is required to keep cases confidential, unless it finds evidence of wrongdoing, although the law allows the accuser to publicly disclose a case.

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Single vehicle crash results in injuries

By Roger Lanse

New Mexico State Police officers investigated a single vehicle crash at 7:21 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, which occurred on Highway 180 near the Highway 152 junction. According to the NMSP, a 2016 red Toyota passenger car, driven by a 68-year-old female, was traveling west on Highway 180 when for unknown reasons the vehicle left the roadway and struck a guardrail, then a tree. The driver did not appear to have been wearing a seatbelt and sustained unknown injuries.

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