Silver Consolidated Schools Shares State of Our Facilities and Finances with Community

Silver City, NM - September 5, 2023 - Did you know that Silver Consolidated Schools is one of the lowest taxing school districts in the state? Silver Consolidated Schools is announcing its plans to engage with the community and provide a clear picture of our school facilities and financial situation. As we gear up for the forthcoming Facilities Master Plan, we are eager to involve our community in understanding our goals and priorities.

Superintendent William Hawkins will lead these sessions, focusing on key aspects such as the needs of schools like Jose Barrios Elementary, Cliff Schools, and the Ben Altamirano Sports Complex. This is a crucial step in paving the way for the development of the next 5-year Facilities Master Plan, set to kick off this Spring. The Facilities Master Plan process is vital because it helps us identify areas of greatest need, for enhancement, manage resources effectively, and establish a long-term roadmap for improving our school facilities.

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Mimbres Press Authors Share their Works

M. John Fayhee and Arturo Magaña Amaya will read from their works recently published with the Mimbres Press. Fayhee, one-time editor of the Mountain Gazette, will read from his latest book A Long Tangent.  Poet and human rights activist Amaya will share from Nostalgias de Noviembre.  The event will take place Sept. 6 at 6:30 pm at Light Hall on the campus of Western New Mexico University. This event is free and open to the public. Book signings will follow.

Fayhee’s book is the result of his resolve to hike every day for a solid year with his dog Casey. There were two rules: First, each hike had to be at least 60 minutes (though most were longer) and each had to take place out in the forest. “The overwhelming majority took place in my backyard — New Mexico’s famed Gila National Forest, which is home to the world’s first legally designated wilderness area,” he says. In the end, Fayhee and Casey logged an estimated 1,200 trail miles.

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Local youth brings art to Gila National Forest

Grant County Youth Mural program creates tile mural art at Aldo Leopold Vista and C.P. Anderson Overlook


MIMBRES, NM, August 28, 2023 –Grant County New Mexico’s Youth Mural program is creating and installing tile murals at two sites on the Gila National Forest to honor the 100th anniversary of the Gila Wilderness, which occurs next year. Last month, local youth participating in mural camp began designing, creating, and installing tile tabletops for five picnic tables at Leopold Vista Overlook.

“This project aims to celebrate wilderness at its birthplace, while helping local youth build appreciation for and connection to the Gila Wilderness in their back yard,” said Wilderness District Ranger Henry Provencio. “Engaging young people from diverse backgrounds teaches that wilderness is for everyone and ensures a future where wilderness is valued and protected for the next 100 years.”

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Quilt Show winners at Catron County Fair, Reserve NM

Three Luna NM ladies win quilt show at Catron County Fair Saturday August 26, 2023.

DesertSunsetDiane Pattison’s quilt “Desert Sunset” was judged Grand Champion quilt at the Catron County Fair

SamplerQuiltEvelyn Williams’ sampler quilt won Reserve Champion quilt.

AstronomyDianna Dankworth’s quilt “Astronomy” was People’s Choice at the Catron County Fair Saturday, August 26.

Grant County Community Foundation to Host Capacity Building Conference for Nonprofits in September

The Grant County Community Foundation is proud to announce that it is hosting a 2-day Capacity Building Conference for area nonprofits -- including their staff members, boards of directors, and volunteers -- on Thursday and Friday, September 21 and 22, 2023. The conference agenda will feature a series of 90-minute workshops including: nonprofit finance and accounting, board best practices, volunteer management, self-care for nonprofit leaders, communications and media, marketing, social media, sustainable development, a presentation by the Founder of Grantstation on developing a funding research process, and a grant-writing Q&A panel.

These last few years have stretched nonprofits to their limits and, while many are back up and running, they are still lacking critical organizational support. Earlier this year, the Grant County Community Foundation offered free workshops on grant writing and strategic planning, both of which were well attended and received excellent feedback from attendees.

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Governor appoints Cynthia H. Clark as Grant County Magistrate Court Judge 

SANTA FE  – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has appointed Cynthia H. Clark as a Grant County Magistrate Court Judge. 

Clark has been a Staff Attorney with the Sixth Judicial District Court since 2022. Prior to that position, she served as Chief Deputy District Attorney in the Sixth Judicial District. 

Originally from Minnesota, Clark received her Bachelor of Arts in Government from the College of St. Benedict. She graduated from the Hamline University School of Law in St. Paul. She is a member of the State Bar in Minnesota and New Mexico. 

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NMAA New Sportsmanship ByLaw Explained 

Dear Parents and Community Members,

We hope this message finds you well. As we gear up for another exciting season of athletics, we wanted to take a moment to emphasize our school's commitment to fostering a positive and respectful environment both on and off the field.

The New Mexico Activities Association has recently updated their sportsmanship bylaws, underscoring the importance of maintaining sportsmanship and respect at all times during athletic events. The recently updated sportsmanship bylaws now include a "two strikes" rule for unsportsmanlike conduct. If an egregious act of unsportsmanlike behavior occurs two or more times during the same season, at the same school, in the same activity, there will be penalties. For teams, this could result in suspension from participation in that activity for the remainder of the season. For non-team participants like fans, repeated acts of unsportsmanlike conduct could lead to individual or “all fan attendance” suspension from attending such activities for the rest of the season. The NMAA‘s goal is to emphasize the importance of maintaining a respectful and positive environment during athletic events.  Over the last several years we have personally witnessed the impact of “Official” shortages in every sport as a consequence of these types of behaviors. Something has to change. Ultimately, whether we agree or disagree with the policy, we want to be there for our kids! 

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Storm cloud over the Gila

storm over the gilas

Photo by Susan Hicks, taken from Tyrone on Friday, Aug. 11, 2023

[Editor's Note: The photo looks like the clouds are dropping some rain on the mountains. Let's hope it spreads and brings some much needed rain to all of Grant County.]

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