Community News

NM District 28 Senator Gabriel Ramos spoke to the Beat about upcoming legislative session.

Ramos noted that he is honored to be serving as state Senator for his District, which encompasses parts of the counties of Grant, Luna and Hidalgo. He always keeps his constituents in mind when he looks at legislation. "I am grateful for being able to represent every day the residents and communities of my district. I will fight for what's right."

When asked what he wants to fight for during the session, he said: "I am very against boys playing girls' sports. For many years, we have made sure that Title IX (9) is followed by all schools and letting males play girl sports is totally against Title IX rules. I am also against cartoon pornography in our school libraries, and I am ready to fight to keep these types of books out of our school libraries. We, as a state, are 50th in the nation in education, and we should concentrate on math, science, English, and history versus non-productive classes."

The Silver City Regional Association of Realtors® is proud to name Marissa Rowse of Enchantment Realty as our 2025 REALTOR® of the Year. This award recognizes a member who shows integrity, leadership, and strong service to the real estate profession. Marissa's work and dedication made her an outstanding choice.

Marissa has been a steady leader in our community. She has served on the Multiple Listing Service Board as both Director and President, helping guide important improvements for our members. She also serves as an NM Realtors® State Political Coordinator, where she advocates for private property rights and issues that matter to Realtors® across New Mexico.

SILVER CITY, NM — Western New Mexico University (WNMU) kicked off its 2026 Welcome Week, a high-energy series of events designed to integrate new students into campus life and connect with the Silver City community. Running from January 12 through January 16, the week-long celebration served as the cornerstone of the university's commitment to student success and regional engagement.

Welcome Week is a strategic initiative by WNMU Student Life to foster a sense of belonging.

Highlights of the 2026 schedule included:

After a banner year in 2025 in which the30something was able to fund four $30,000 awards to local non-profits for projects we are now looking forward to 2026!

the30something is a local donor advised fund fiscally managed by the Gila Community Foundation. Membership is open to anyone who is interested in joining, no invitation has ever been needed. We are a friendly group of people who have joined together to make Silver City and Grant County a more beautiful, creative, and healthy place to live. We do this by awarding $30,000 to nonprofits who submit applications for projects that will benefit our community. 

 We are proud to be a member driven organization, which means that every member who generously donates $1,000 has the right and joy to vote on projects that have been submitted and vetted for awards. If you are interested in joining go to our website, www.the30something.org  and read about our organization and then fill out the form on the homepage to get added to our email list. If you are ready to donate, you can do that from the home page also or you can submit a check to the Gila Community Foundation, their information can be seen at www.gilacf.org . Our membership donation deadline for 2026 is April 1st.

SILVER CITY, NM — On January 20, the 2026 Legislative Session officially commenced in Santa Fe, marking the start of a pivotal 30-day period for state policy and budget allocations. Western New Mexico University (WNMU) aims to secure critical funding for infrastructure and modernization projects that are essential to the university's mission of serving rural New Mexico and fostering regional economic growth.

As a primary driver of education and workforce development in the Southwest, WNMU relies on state partnerships to ensure its facilities and systems meet the evolving needs of students and the local economy.

"Our mission at WNMU is to catalyze opportunity in rural New Mexico, but we cannot do that work in a vacuum," said Interim President Chris Maples, Ph.D. 

SILVER CITY, NM — In July 2025, Chris Taylor, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of English at Western New Mexico University (WNMU), dove deep into medieval history and a myth he's studied for over a decade as he represented WNMU at the International Medieval Congress at the University of Leeds—the world's largest gathering of medievalists. 

Speaking on a panel dedicated to historical cartography, Taylor presented a compelling argument that they mythical figure, Prester John (Priest John) facilitated the shift from ideological Christian maps to empirical, landmass-focused maps used for sea navigation.

With the release of his new book, "The Global Legend of Prester John" (published by Cambridge University Press), and the continued expansion of The International Prester John Project, Taylor is bringing international recognition to the WNMU College of Arts and Sciences.

left to right: Lisa Barber, administrative assistant; Julian Madrid, director; Gabriel Carrasco, athletic coordinator; and Daquiri Torres, special events/programming coordinator. Photo by Lisa JimenezBy Lisa Jimenez

Silver City -- It's been just over four months since the new recreation center opened, and the Henry "La Burra" Morales Recreation Center is teaming with activity, especially in the afternoons when school gets out and youth fill the center's basketball and volleyball courts and the gaming lounge, said Julian Madrid, parks and recreation director for the Town of Silver City. Most mornings, retirees can be found playing pickle ball or walking the indoor track.

"It's great to see that the community is really utilizing this facility," said Madrid. "By three o'clock we're jammin' with high school and La Plata kids coming in regularly, so much so that we're getting to know them individually. "I'm glad they're here versus out on the streets; they're very respectful and come in to play sports, work on homework and hang out in the gaming area. We're also seeing more families on the weekends, and moms with their young children earlier in the day. People are starting to visit more regularly, and that's really rewarding." 

Silver City, NM – Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) is pleased to announce that the Grant County Community Partnership for Children has been selected as the recipient of its Q4 2025 donation, funded through a portion of cafeteria sales. This initiative is part of GRMC's outreach program, Gila Regional CARES: Community, Assistance, Resources, Engagement, and Support.

For over 18 years, the Community Partnership for Children has been dedicated to supporting early childhood education providers and families in rural Grant County, New Mexico. Their mission is to ensure that young children receive the best possible start in life by offering access to childcare programs, family support services, assistance in building childcare businesses, networks that connect and strengthen childcare providers, and a parent support group that fosters community and shared learning. Through these efforts, the organization helps families and providers create nurturing environments where children can thrive.