Community News

SILVER CITY, NM – 10/26/2026 – Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) is pleased to announce the opening of Bridges to Care, an initiative designed to expand access to comprehensive behavioral health services for individuals and families throughout the communities HMS serves. Bridges to Care is located at 1000 N. Hudson St., Silver City, NM 88061.

Bridges to Care represents another step in HMS's ongoing commitment to addressing the behavioral health needs of the community by providing accessible, compassionate, and patient-centered care.

SILVER CITY, NM — Western New Mexico University hosted its annual Homecoming celebration, bringing together alums, students and community members for a weekend of campus pride, tradition and competitive athletics.

The weekend featured a packed schedule of events built around the annual Chile Bowl matchup at Ben Altamirano Field. Highlights included the downtown Bullard Street parade, the Alumni Hall of Fame induction ceremony, and an interactive digital engagement initiative.

Silver City, NM – Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) is pleased to announce that the High Desert Humane Society Animal Shelter and Adoption Center has been selected as the recipient of the Gila Regional CARES Program Q3 donation, funded through proceeds generated by cafeteria sales.

The Gila Regional CARES Program reflects GRMC's commitment to giving back to the communities it serves by supporting local nonprofit organizations that are making a meaningful impact throughout Grant County.

On October 7, 2026, GRMC senior leadership presented the Q3 donation check to the High Desert Humane Society during a visit to the shelter. Board President Heidi Ogas led the group on a tour of the facility and shared information about the organization's programs, services, and impact across the region.

WNMU students, local forestry experts, municipal representatives and community organizations learning about the causes of tress failure in urban areasSILVER CITY, NM — Western New Mexico University students recently joined forces with local forestry experts, municipal representatives and community organizations on the WNMU Campus for a hands-on educational exercise on the WNMU designed to expose the hidden causes of urban tree failure.

The public event, organized as a shared learning experience, took place at the WNMU Harlan Fleming Commons Garden. Participants carefully excavated a dying tree to investigate root structures, looked for mechanical or environmental stressors, and diagnosed the precise reasons behind its decline.

Presented by Hidalgo Medical Services
Volunteers and athletes turned out for the annual recreational bicycle ride from Silver City

Silver City, NM — Southwest New Mexico became the destination for recreational road bicyclists from across the region and the country on Saturday, October 10th. The draw was a supported ride hosted by the organizers of the Tour of the Gila bicycle stage race, along with a handful of dedicated volunteers and record-setting ultra-endurance athlete Lael Wilcox.

Students, faculty and staff, and community members gather for banned book events at WNMUSILVER CITY, NM — Western New Mexico University reaffirmed its pledge to free discussion, academic freedom, and the constitutional right to read through a dynamic series of public events hosted at the J. Cloyd Miller Library. Bringing together university scholars, community librarians, local authors, and student voices, the campus community engaged in critical conversations regarding literacy, literature, and the historical importance of intellectual freedom.

The multi-day observance highlighted the essential role libraries and educational institutions play as strongholds of free expression. As literary censorship continues to spark national conversations, university leadership and event organizers stressed the importance of examining challenged works and supporting different viewpoints in local and academic libraries.

Phillip Cave, Vladimir Gnilozubov, Breanna Lofgreen, Jerry Ouzts, Kathryn Eaton, Jeannette Medina and Susan Guillory. Silver City, NM – Gila Regional Medical Center (GRMC) is proud to announce the completion of its new Emergency Department Nursing Station, a project made possible through the generous support of the GRMC Foundation. 

The new nursing station provides a centralized workspace designed to improve safety, communication, coordination, and efficiency within the Emergency Department, helping caregivers remain focused on delivering exceptional patient care.

Funded through the GRMC Foundation, the project highlights the Foundation's ongoing commitment to investing in resources and improvements that directly benefit patients, caregivers, and the communities served by GRMC. 

Hidalgo Medical Services (HMS) is proud to announce that it has earned a 5-Star Rating from the National Rural Rating System (NRRS), a national distinction recognizing rural healthcare organizations that demonstrate exceptional performance in patient experience and service excellence. 

The National Rural Rating System (NRRS) is a national benchmarking and recognition program that evaluates rural healthcare organizations using patient experience and satisfaction data. The program is hosted and administered by the National Rural Health Association (NRHA) and provides an objective framework for recognizing organizations that demonstrate excellence in patient-centered care and service. Participating organizations submit rolling annual patient survey results for review and are awarded ratings ranging from one to five stars. Only organizations achieving 4-Star and 5-Star performance are publicly recognized for their exceptional achievement in patient experience. Additional information regarding the NRRS can be found at https://ruralratings.us.