Front Page News

Raven Christoper Arellin was sentenced on July 21, 2025 for Receipt, Transportation or Possession of a Firearm or Destructive Device by a Felon. He was sentenced to 2 years, 1 months, 114 days to be served in the Department of Corrections. ARELLIN failed to check-in at the Grant County Sheriff's Dept. for transport to the Department of Corrections and a Bench Warrant was issued by Judge Foy on July 28, 2025.

ARELLIN is now considered a fugitive from justice. If you have information about RAVEN CHRISTOPHER ARELLIN, please call Grant County Central Dispatch at 575-388-8840 or your local law enforcement office.

By Lynn Janes

On July 21, 2025, the board of regents held a virtual special meeting at Western New Mexico University. The board consisted of Steven Neville, chair, Joseph "Dean" Reed, John Wertheim and WNMU student Keana Huerta (attended in person). Dr. Chris Maples, interim president, also attended online

The board approved the agenda.

Neville addressed the next item on the agenda to approve an attorney employment arrangement. He deferred to Wertheim to explain the reason.

July 30, 2025– The Grant County Sheriff’s Office will be conducting Sobriety Checkpoint and Saturation Patrols during the month of August, with enforcement activities taking place during peak travel times into late evening hours.

These efforts are part of the agency’s ongoing commitment to reducing impaired driving and enhancing roadway safety. The checkpoint and saturation patrols are intended to raise public awareness, deter impaired driving, and prevent alcohol- and drug-related crashes.

More Coincidences?–The Campaign Against Dr. Shepard

By Frost McGahey

Investigative Journalist

Is there a connection with the recent filing of a 2nd lawsuit against Dr. Shepard and just now the search for a new president of Western New Mexico University?  Dr. Shepard resigned on December 20, and the Regents resigned after that with a few being fired by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. In her statement of January 7, she said, “My office is already reviewing candidates to replace the former board.”  But new Regents weren’t appointed until April 2025. 

Replacing the Regents took longer than normal, and one of them, John Wertheim acknowledged the unusual gap in governance at WNMU and emphasized the importance of board oversight: “To have a university with constitutional stature like Western New Mexico to be operating for even a few months without a board of regents is pretty unprecedented.”*

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a regular meeting July 10, 2025. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza, trustees, Peter Erickson and Olga Amador attended. Ralph Trujillo did not attend.

The council approved the agenda, past meeting minutes and department head reports.

Mayor's report

The Bradley Hotel stucco job now has finished, and Lopez said it will still need the color added but it looked great, and they had done a great job.

You are invited to let the Western New Mexico University presidential search team know what you seek in a new president for the university.

Here is the link to the page where the survey is:

https://wnmu.edu/search-for-a-president/ 

Photos by Meredith Phillips below the text

Cobre Schools hosted its annual Summerfest at Cobre High School on Saturday, July 26, 2025. The main attraction for the parents and incoming students is to qualify for free school supplies by collecting  10 signatures from the many vendors that take part in the event. 

Some are food vendors but  most are informational booths, such as those for the individual schools,  WNMU, law enforcement, and the Silver City Museum. Games and activities entice students and adults to take part in the fun.

The Cobre state championship Cheer Squad was present, including Coach Kaytie Marquez and Assistant Coach Leilani Marquez (far right) with their mascot, Christian McBride, and some of their champion athletes and new recruits (Jasmine Steele, Allie Peru, Gabby Medina, Ezmyah Dominguez, Aimerie Pena, Kloie Rodriquez, and Alexis Carrillo).

The Castillo-Delgado family said the event gets better every year.

[This photographer stated, of the owner of Fork Off: "His chicken fusion taco with Asian influence was the best thing I've eaten in Silver to date!"]

[She also discovered why a lemonade booth was called "Not Yo Momma's Lemonade":  "Q: Why are you called that? A: Is your momma here? Q: No. A: That's why!"]

To pause the slide show, mouse over the image.

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

As part of the annual CLAY Festival in Silver City, the last two days, Saturday and Sunday, feature a Clay Market, with pottery and other ceramic artists participating to show off, as well as sell their work. Several are usually from Silver City, and this year,  the market featured several from Tuscon and Ajo, as well as El Paso, Las Cruces, and Santa Fe, and from other New Mexico towns, including Roswell, Lordsburg and Deming. To this non-potter, the vast variety of items that can be made with a hunk of clay is astounding.