Community News
Tour of the Gila Bicycle Race Seeks Volunteers, Host Families
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 28 March 2024 28 March 2024
Silver City, NM — The iconic bike race that showcases southwest New Mexico while attracting some of the world’s top talent invites people to experience Tour of the Gila from behind the scenes—as volunteers.
The five-day stage race based in Silver City, New Mexico, has been made possible for over 36 years by dedicated citizens who generously give their time and talent, open their homes to bike racers, and provide essential support in the form of sponsorships and donations. The 37th edition of Tour of the Gila again asks the community to join in making the race possible. Tour of the Gila 2024 runs from Wednesday April 24, through Sunday, April 28. Positions needing to be filled include course marshals, drivers, medical personnel, and housing hosts.
No Limits: Kinesiology Major Finds EdVenture at WNMU
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 27 March 2024 27 March 2024
Kinesiology major Itzela Darkenwald (right) has discovered a passion for outdoor leadership during her time at WNMU. She is seen here at the Catwalk Recreation Area with fellow students Isabella Medina (left) and Aubrey Lozoya (center) during production of “The College TourItzela Darkenwald is a featured student in the Amazon Prime TV episode of “The College Tour” that recently premiered at WNMU. Link to article at the end
Kinesiology major Itzela Darkenwald comes by her love of adventure honestly. “My family is a huge part of who I am and why I am here today,” she said, “My father is a pilot, so I grew up travelling the world. … And my mom is from Panama and is a massage therapist, so that gives me another international connection as well as my interest in the human body and how it works.” From her parents, she said, she gets “a lot of my aspiration and drive for new adventures and new things.”
Grant County DWI Program Purchases Supplies Local Law Enforcement
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 27 March 2024 27 March 2024
Pictured from left to right: GCSO Captain Steven Gallegos, Sheriff Raul Villanueva, Grant County DWI Program Coordinator Daniel Graves, and GCSO Chief Deputy Anthony Bencomo.With DWIs being an ongoing issue throughout the state, reducing DWI events and the people impacted is important to the people here in Grant County. To aide in this battle the Grant County DWI Program recently purchased new PAS IV Flashlights for the three law enforcement stations in our county, Silver City Police Department, The Grant County Sherriff’s Department, and the Bayard Police Department. These flashlights are able to detect alcohol that is present in the ambient air and can help aid in DWI arrests.
NM Opportunity Scholarship Sets Former Food Service Worker on Path
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 26 March 2024 26 March 2024
Dorrie Dennison was an understudy for the Mustang Edition of “The College Tour,” which premiered on campus Thursday, March 21. The episode is available online and will be released by Amazon Prime in May. Article link at the bottom.
NM Opportunity Scholarship Sets Former Food Service Worker on Path to Become an Accountant
Dorrie Dennison had been working in food service for many years when she heard about the New Mexico Opportunity Scholarship, a scholarship that allows college students pursuing their first degree to attend tuition-free. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to work in food service my whole life,” she said, “I wanted something more.”
So at the age of thirty-six, Dennison, who is originally from Austin, Texas, decided to enroll at Western New Mexico University. “I honestly never thought I would attend college,” she said, “but then I learned about the Opportunity Scholarship . . . and decided that I was ready to have a professional career.”
Revision-2- Thanks Providers for National Doctors' Day
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 26 March 2024 26 March 2024
GRMC Thanks Providers for National Doctor's Day
March 30, 2024 – Happy National Doctors' Day from Gila Regional Medical Center. Thank you to all physicians for your selfless dedication in caring for our community!
WNMU Hosts Premiere and Watch Party for “The College Tour” – Mustang Edition
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 25 March 2024 25 March 2024
WNMU President Dr. Joseph Shepard. Chala Werber and Raul TurrietaSILVER CITY, NM - Western New Mexico University hosted the premiere of a special, WNMU-focused episode of the Amazon Prime TV series “The College Tour” on Thursday, March 21, 2024. The episode was filmed entirely in southwestern New Mexico and showcases WNMU students, the campus, the town of Silver City, and the Gila National Forest. WNMU is the first university in New Mexico to be featured on the series.
The half-hour episode was the result of a months-long planning and production process that occurred last fall. It features the stories of ten WNMU students and alumni: Oscar Arteaga Romero, Stacey Bernstein, Megan Custer, Itzela Darkenwald, Natalee Drissell, Logan Eastman, Antonio Guerrero Ramos, Violeta “Blanca” Jaure, Brooke Rodgers and Ethan Sanchez. The episode also had three understudies: Dorrie Dennison, Keana Huerta and Ariana Medina.
Crooked Forest Institute is Looking for Land
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 25 March 2024 25 March 2024
Crooked Forest Institute is looking for land. This newer non-profit based in Silver City is on a mission to create affordable housing using sustainable, local materials, like compressed earth blocks. The key to affordability, they say, is the vocational education and community building program attached to their housing development plan.
"Student and volunteer labor can lower the labor cost of each build," Says Holly Noonan, the non-profit's founder. "Our main role model is Community Rebuilds in Moab, Utah. After ten years in operation, Community Rebuilds is now clocking 30,000 hours in volunteer labor annually, while they are completing sixteen houses a year."
Meet Iris Nolasco, New Executive Director of The Commons
- Category: Community News Community News
- Published: 21 March 2024 21 March 2024
Meet Iris Nolasco
New Executive Director
As I wrap up my first three weeks as the new Executive Director of The Commons, my heart is full of appreciation. The welcome I have received is incredible and indicative of what this community represents and the reason why I choose to help support it through the mission and the work of this organization.
Part of my journey started at The Volunteer Center (TVC) of Grant County as an AmeriCorps volunteer and then staff member from 2007-2009.