Editor's Note: In the interest of getting the rest of this information out in a somewhat timely manner, most of this article, after the opening statements which are almost transcriptions, will be written from quickly taken notes. The editor will also endeavor to post the more than one-hour audio recording, if possible.

By Mary Alice Murphy

Photos Courtesy of Tom Vaughan

The second portion of the candidate forum held Tuesday, Sept. 13, 2016, featured the Democratic and Republican candidates for Grant County Commission District 3'Henry Torres, Republican, Alicia Edwards, DemocratG

All candidates thanked the sponsors and organizers as well as welcoming the audience members.

Scott Terry, SC-GC Chamber director, moderated the event and asked the questions, which had been prepared and given to the candidates ahead of time. He asked that there be no applause once the questions started.

Torres started with the first opening statement.

"I am a Grant County native," Torres said. "I returned to Grant County in 1979 as district inspector of the New Mexico Livestock Board. My business experience includes ownership and management of an alternative energy management company and 14 years as an associate broker with Smith Real Estate. I spent two years on the Silver City Museum Board, and four years on the Silver City-Grant County Chamber of Commerce board." His background includes four years on the Grant County Fair Board, membership in the Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society, long-time member of Farm Bureau and founding member of Grant County Cattle Growers.

"I spent two consecutive terms on the Grant County Commission, 2001-2008," Torres continued. During this period, he said the commission faced and addressed significant financial and administrative challenges. Also during his tenure, the county bought land for a new Detention Center, kept Fort Bayard Medical Center in Grant County and bought the old Stream building for a conference center.

Edwards said from her first job filling the shelves at her mother's pharmacy to serving as the president and CEO of a multi-million dollar company she helped build, "my life has gifted me with a broad range of skills and capacities." When she moved to Silver City 12 years ago, she opened a small business, a design company where she designed graphics for non-profits and small businesses. "I did a portrait story of women who walked the picket lines during the Empire Zinc Mine strike." As part of the story she went to the site and learned the stories behind the strike.

"When I went to work at The Volunteer Center, and learned that poverty is the underlying problem behind those who need volunteer assistance, we started a series of community conversations about how to end poverty in Grant County," Edwards continued. "In partnership with many community members, I helped create the Commons and Nuevos Comienzos Community Kitchen, and a small business incubator at 501 E. 13th Street." TVC serves more than 1,000 meals a month and "has provided more than 10 million meals to hungry children, seniors and their families in the past eight years." These programs include the Backpack program that sends food home with school children, who don't get enough to eat on the weekends, and the first ever mobile food pantry in the Mining District for those suffering from the mine layoffs. She is the founding member of the Grant County Food Policy Council and the Grant County Community Foundation. "Currently I am the Healthy Kids, Healthy Community coordinator, and serve on the Grant County Community Health Council and the Southwest Food Policy Council. I am passionate about justice both personally and professionally."

Billings said he would be a team player and would work hard toward a bright and prosperous future for Grant County and all its citizens. "Two things come to mind for a prosperous futureG

Content on the Beat

WARNING: All articles and photos with a byline or photo credit are copyrighted to the author or photographer. You may not use any information found within the articles without asking permission AND giving attribution to the source. Photos can be requested and may incur a nominal fee for use personally or commercially.

Disclaimer: If you find errors in articles not written by the Beat team but sent to us from other content providers, please contact the writer, not the Beat. For example, obituaries are always provided by the funeral home or a family member. We can fix errors, but please give details on where the error is so we can find it. News releases from government and non-profit entities are posted generally without change, except for legal notices, which incur a small charge.

NOTE: If an article does not have a byline, it was written by someone not affiliated with the Beat and then sent to the Beat for posting.

Images: We have received complaints about large images blocking parts of other articles. If you encounter this problem, click on the title of the article you want to read and it will take you to that article's page, which shows only that article without any intruders. 

New Columnists: The Beat continues to bring you new columnists. And check out the old faithfuls who continue to provide content.

Newsletter: If you opt in to the Join GCB Three Times Weekly Updates option above this to the right, you will be subscribed to email notifications with links to recently posted articles.

Submitting to the Beat

Those new to providing news releases to the Beat are asked to please check out submission guidelines at https://www.grantcountybeat.com/about/submissions. They are for your information to make life easier on the readers, as well as for the editor.

Advertising: Don't forget to tell advertisers that you saw their ads on the Beat.

Classifieds: We have changed Classifieds to a simpler option. Check periodically to see if any new ones have popped up. Send your information to editor@grantcountybeat.com and we will post it as soon as we can. Instructions and prices are on the page.

Editor's Notes

It has come to this editor's attention that people are sending information to the Grant County Beat Facebook page. Please be aware that the editor does not regularly monitor the page. If you have items you want to send to the editor, please send them to editor@grantcountybeat.com. Thanks!

Here for YOU: Consider the Beat your DAILY newspaper for up-to-date information about Grant County. It's at your fingertips! One Click to Local News. Thanks for your support for and your readership of Grant County's online news source—www.grantcountybeat.com

Feel free to notify editor@grantcountybeat.com if you notice any technical problems on the site. Your convenience is my desire for the Beat.  The Beat totally appreciates its readers and subscribers!  

Compliance: Because you are an esteemed member of The Grant County Beat readership, be assured that we at the Beat continue to do everything we can to be in full compliance with GDPR and pertinent US law, so that the information you have chosen to give to us cannot be compromised.