Photo added: Gila National Forest prescribed fire update 101923

jaybird low fire resizedPhoto of low to moderate intensity fire on the Jaybird Prescribed Fire. Credit: USDA Forest Service by Ben Crum

Jaybird ignitions complete, Mill starts next

SILVER CITY, NM, Oct. 18, 2023 – Fire crews wrapped up ignitions on the Jaybird prescribed fire in the Signal Peak area near Meadow Creek and Jaybird Canyon Wednesday. Crews will remain on the project to patrol for changes in fire behavior and to check for smoldering vegetation near containment lines. The Jaybird prescribed fire involved 2,600 acres of hazardous fuels treatment. 

Forest resource specialists installed four air quality monitors around the forest to monitor smoke impacts from the prescribed fire operations. While smoke was visible in Silver City and outlying areas Wednesday evening, the air quality monitors showed good air quality on the https://fire.airnow.gov/ website. Smoke-sensitive individuals and those with respiratory or heart disease should take precautionary measures.

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The smoke north of Silver City is coming from two prescribed burns

Two prescribed burns - the Jaybird and Mill prescribed burns are happening now north of Silver City. Due to the north winds overnight, the smoke came down into Silver City.

Please see https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-releases/80699-prescribed-fire-program-continues-on-gila-national-forest for more information on the projects, which began on Oct. 16, 2023. 

Grant County Commission held special meeting 092623 part 5

[Editor's Note: This is part 5 and the final of a multi-article series on the Grant County Commission special meeting on Sept. 26, 2023, which lasted almost three hours. This one continues with presentations from individual Grant County Volunteer Fire Departments.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The special meeting on Sept. 26, 2023, continued with reports from individual volunteer fire department chiefs.

Fort Bayard VFD Chief Eugene Rodriguez said he would give a summary of what his department needs. "I can't say replacing the ladder truck is my top priority, but it is ay top priority because the cost of it keeps going up. It goes up by 10 to 20 percent every quarter. I got a quote to replace the exact truck we have and it's at $1.5 million. It needs to be replaced. I talked to the county manager. I have no way and not enough funds to pay that much, so I will need assistance from you guys to replace that truck. Fort Bayard has multi-story buildings. Granted no one is in them now, but if someone is in them, we have to go save them.

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Grant County Commission held Sept. 26, 2023 special meeting, part 4

[Editor's Note: This is part 4 of a multi-article series on the Grant County Commission special meeting on Sept. 26, 2023, which lasted almost three hours. This one continues with a presentation on Grant County Volunteer Fire Departments.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

At the Grant County Commission special meeting on Sept. 26, 2023, County Fire Management Officer Randy Villa introduced the Rural Fire Chiefs Association Chairman Ed Downard. Villa also pointed out that several volunteer fire chiefs were in attendance at the meeting.

"As requested for the Grant County Volunteer Fire Department budget, we collected information on every apparatus that each volunteer fire department owned and on the date when received, as well as a 5-year plan by station on vehicle replacement," Downard said. "Like Mr. Hawkins, we're about to bury you in numbers. The report gives justification for why we look at dates the way we do. Our changes and upgrades must address safety and maximize fire fighter capabilities with the latest safety features and operating capabilities, according to NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) 1901, Annex D standards.

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Rosary Rally held in Hurley 101423

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

Also in Hurley on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, at the Community Park, a Rosary Rally took place to pray for America. 

img 8611A sign invited people to join in prayer

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Old Hurley Store hosts annual Pumpkin Patch 101423

[Editor's Note: I"m having problems with the slideshow. If you leave it on autoplay and don't stop it, it will continue changing from photo to photo. But if you stop it, it stops on the slide where you are. I couldn't get it to get going again. My webmaster will check it in the morning. ]

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

On Saturday, Oct. 14, 2023, the Old Hurley Store, owned by Don and Becky Spann, hosted the annual Pumpkin Patch. The event featured plenty of pumpkins to choose from. The price of admission was three cans of food for the Gospel Mission for each pumpkin. Families came to pick out their pumpkins.

Because an annual eclipse of the sun was passing through the U.S. and on south to South America, Jay Goats of the Pinos Altos Volunteer Fire Department was on hand with welding helmets to allow children and adults alike to take a look at the partial eclipse seen in Grant County. He also said the design and plans are completed for a new fire substation in Dos Griegos on North Swan Street. "We are recruiting for about 15 volunteers to man the station once it gets built. It will provide a station closer to the area than the station at Pinos Altos."

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Grant County Republican Party names Republican of the Year

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

img 7133Rhonda Billings honors Christine Starr as Republican of the Year 2023

At an annual banquet held on Friday, Oct. 13, 2023, at the Santa Clara Armory, the Grant County Republican Party heard from candidates for various positions including for.local positions, state officials and U.S. Congress

The featured speakers were Former Congresswoman, running again for Congressional District 2, and former District 38 State Representative Rebecca Dow.

The highlight of the evening, other than the good food, catered by Dickey's of Deming, came when party representative Rhonda Billings announced the Republican of the Year, Christine Starr, and then recognized Cyndi Donovan for organization the event. 

img 7134Rhonda Billings, at right, recognizes Cyndi Donovan, at left, for all the work she put in organizing the evening's event.

Grant County Water Commission PER almost done

By Lynn Janes

On September 28, 2023, the Grant County Water Commission had a regular meeting at the city annex building. Chairman and Silver City Town Manager Alex Brown led the meeting.

Priscilla Lucero, Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments director, said they had the funds to start paying for the PER (preliminary engineering report).

She had spoken with some of the regional representatives for Senator Martin Heinrich. They will be taking advantage of the regional border commission in Las Cruces. At that point they could apply directly to them for funding. She has been having conversations with some state Water Trust officials about getting funding from the New Mexico Unit Fund for planning and designing. "I will be meeting in Las Cruces with Maya Clifford, who will be moving that initiative forward."

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