Front Page News
Dark, Divide, and Davis fires update for July 19, 2023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 19 July 2023 19 July 2023
RESERVE, NM, July 19, 2023 – The Dark, Divide, and Davis fires are burning with low to moderate fire intensity on the Gila National Forest, Reserve Ranger District. All of these fires were started by lightning strikes last week. Incident Commander Pete Valenzuela assumed command of the cluster of fires Monday evening.
The Davis Fire, located north of Collins Park and east of the Continental Divide Trail, has grown to 177 acres (an estimate of 233 acres yesterday was adjusted down due to more accurate infrared mapping). Crews conducted burnout operations today southward along the eastern and western flanks from northern control lines. Ignitions assist with securing identified containment features by removing available fuels, creating a more effective barrier to fire growth. Crews will monitor Continental Divide Trail for users who could be exposed to fire as it moves across the landscape. The affected section of Continental Divide Trail is located east of Eagle Peak from Cox Canyon trailhead south to Bursum Road. Signs are posted north and south of the Davis Fire. Two Hotshot crews, one Type 6 engine, one dozer, one Fire Use Module and various overhead are currently assigned to the Davis Fire.
Grant County Commission holds work session 071823, part 1
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
[Editor's Note: This is part 1 of a series of articles on the Grant County Commission work session on July 18, 2023. It begins with public input.]
By Mary Alice Murphy
The one and only person giving public input at the Grant County Commission work session on July 18, 2023 was Glenn Griffin, a resident of Grant County District 1. In July, the beginning of the fiscal year, commissioners each year discuss, and approve, sometimes with amendments, or disapprove the annual agreement addressing the work and financial plan with the U.S. Department of Agriculture/Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service/Wildlife Services for the Integrated Wildlife Damage Management Program for the year. This agreement is for fiscal year 2023.
Costello awaits judge’s decision
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
By Roger Lanse
A pretrial detention hearing was held Tuesday, July 18, 2023, in Sixth Judicial District Court, Silver City, NM, in reference to Joseph William Costello, who was arrested and charged with an open count of murder in the first degree in the June 26, 2023, death of Stephen Timmons at the Dragonfly Trail System.
At a pretrial detention hearing, the judge decides, based on reports, whether the defendant can be released on pretrial supervision or held until trial.
According to District Attorney Michael Renteria, District Court Judge Jim Foy took the question of pretrial detention at the hearing under advisement. Renteria told the Beat that his office considers public safety above all else when making recommendations, and he believes their case against Costello to be strong enough to warrant him being detained until trial.
Photo Added: CLAY Festival national juried exhibition winners 2023
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
Thanks go to Karen Hymer of Light Art Space, which hosted the 2023 Silver City CLAY Festival national juried exhibition. She reports these are the winners. Photos Courtesy of Karen Hamer.
First Place-Athena Calvillo, “99 Bottles of Pins on the Wall”
2nd place - Heather Kaplan, “But Really? Ideally…”
James Dudding, “The Deer Dinner”
Low-intensity Tub Fire burning on Quemado Ranger District
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 18 July 2023 18 July 2023
View of Tub Fire Sunday evening July 16, 2023 (more courtesy photos below)
Firefighters improving along roads, seeking opportunities to construct control lines
QUEMADO, July 18, 2023 – Among a spate of wildfires started by frequent lightning strikes over the last week, the Tub Fire was identified Sunday afternoon near Tub Peak, south of Mangas Mountain, on the Gila National Forest, Quemado Ranger District. It is estimated to be 25 acres in size.
Under supervision of a Type 4 Incident commander, firefighters are removing surface fuels along existing roads in preparation for use as containment features. Crews are also scouting locations to construct control lines where roads are lacking. Currently, two Type 6 engines, a Hotshot crew, and a fire dozer are assigned, and an additional Hotshot crew has been ordered.
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 17 July 2023 17 July 2023
Photos by Mary Alice Murphy
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
Oralia Lopez of Mata Ortiz paints fine lines on her pottery with a very fine brush
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
Oralia Lopez created these two pots out of many from Mata Ortiz that were on sale.
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
The Silver City Museum also offered a clay making workshop. Oralia Sowers and Derek and Zachary Clark worked on their creations.
CLAY Festival Silver City Museum 071523
Oralia Sowers created a complicated design on her small pot.
The Clay Festival took place all over town in Silver City. The Silver City Museum Annex featured a demonstration by Oralia Lopez of Mata Ortiz showing her fine brush technique. In the museum, a pottery-making workshop for kids and adults drew many to test their creativity. At the time, this photographer was there, three children were working on refining their pots.
Shoplifter jailed
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 17 July 2023 17 July 2023
By Roger Lanse
A Silver City Police Department officer was dispatched to the Dollar General at 1330 E. 32nd Street, on Friday, July 14, 2023, at about 8:46 a.m., in reference to a shoplifting. When the officer arrived, he was told by store employees that "Benjamin" had stolen merchandise from the store and threatened to physically harm the store's manager. "Benjamin" then left walking west on 32nd Street, the employees said.
According to a SCPD incident report, when the officer was shown a photo of the shoplifter, the officer was able to identify the male from previous encounters as Benjamin Hernandez, 33, of Silver City. The Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority confirmed Hernandez had an indefinite CTW to the Dollar General issued Oct. 4, 2022.
Reserve Ranger District calls in type 3 team for new wildfires
- Category: Front Page News Front Page News
- Published: 17 July 2023 17 July 2023
Three wildfire incidents to be managed under confine and contain strategy
RESERVE, NM, July 17, 2023 – Recent thunderstorms delivered numerous lightning strikes to the Gila National Forest last week, starting more than a dozen wildfires across the area. The Reserve Ranger District had many of the fires, with eight ignitions occurring in six locations. Several fires, the Snow, Saliz, and Raven fires, are out. Four other fires are currently burning at three remote locations with limited values at risk.
The Dark Fire started on Corner Mountain about 18 miles southeast of Reserve, New Mexico. Dark Fire started as two lightning strike fires several hundred feet apart that merged. A small burnout operation was conducted to remove fuels between the Dark Fire's edge and Forest Road 153, assisting with containment. Dark Fire has grown to 115 acres. The Hay Fire and Divide Fire are about 1.5 miles apart near Elk Mountain. Hay Fire is 56 acres and Divide Fire is 176 acres. Lastly, Davis Fire started north of Collins Park east of Davis Spring and is about 10 acres in size. It is located within the Collins Park Burn Block prescribed fire that could potentially be implemented this fall.