Grant County Commission work session held April 11, 2023 and regular meeting on April 13, 2023, part 6

[Editor's Note: This is part 6 of a multi-article series on the Commission work session on April 11, as well as on the regular meeting on April 13, 2023. This article continues with the review of and a presentation at the regular meeting.]

Article by Mary Alice Murphy

Grant County commissioners at their regular meeting heard a 2023 Legislative Session update from District 28 Sen. Siah Correa Hemphill.

"We had a very good session," Hemphill said. "We passed a $9.5 billion budget. I'm very proud that we still maintained a 30 percent reserve, and we made progress toward diversifying our economy. We made a significant allocation toward water infrastructure, so we can start to get our Regional Water Plan project going and to bring in funding for recovery issues, too. We passed tax rebates, with $500 to be going to each single filer, and $1000 to those who file jointly. In the Senate we had just over $4 million in capital outlay and just under $600,000 for junior funds."

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Kidnapping charges await man when located

By Roger Lanse

On Monday, Apr. 17, 2023, Silver City Police Department officers contacted a local woman who stated she was shopping at the Silver City Food Co-op with her infant son and 8-year-old daughter. Finishing her shopping and standing in line at the register to pay, her daughter left the line to return a lemon to the produce section as they had selected one too many. At this time, according to an affidavit for arrest warrant dated Apr. 20, 2023, the mother saw a thin male in his 20s with long dark hair come running from the east side of the store She watched as the man wrapped both arms around her 8-year-old daughter from behind and began dragging her toward the door.

However, the affidavit stated, the man dropped the young girl when he got to the door and ran south on Bullard Street. Surveillance footage from inside the store failed to capture the incident as the cameras were facing the register, not the door.

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Domestic dispute gets man arrested

By Roger Lanse

Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to 1202 S. Highway 90, on Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2023, at about 9:47 p.m., in reference to a domestic dispute. When an officer arrived the 26-year-old female victim was outside packing her stuff, an SCPD incident report stated.

The victim told officers she and her partner Nicholas Maldonado, 31, of the address, were arguing and he grabbed her arms and attempted to throw her outside, also grabbing her neck and proceeding to "choke her." According to the report, the victim did not state if she lost consciousness and the officer did not see any markings on the victim's neck. When the victim called for law enforcement, the report said, Maldonado began to throw out all her stuff. The victim originally told Grant County Regional Dispatch Authority dispatchers that Maldonado was under the influence of meth, according to a blotter entry.

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Underage daughter bought alcohol, she tells mother

By Roger Lanse

On Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2023, at about 9:49 a.m., Silver City Police Department officers were dispatched to contact a local woman in reference to her 14-year-old daughter being able to purchase alcohol at a Silver City convenience store. The woman told officers, according to an SCPD incident report, her underage daughter purchased Four Lokos and Shooters at two different times between 9:30 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Saturday, Apr. 15, 2023, and that the clerk did not ask for identification either time. The report also stated the juvenile daughter received a DWI the next day, on Sunday, Apr. 16, 2023, at approximately 2:16 a.m. by a SCPD officer, and blew breath analyzer samples of .12 and .13.

The report is being forwarded to the New Mexico State Police Investigations Unit for further enquiry, according to SCPD Chief Freddie Portillo.

Gila River float trip finds downed trees and other hazards - warns inexperienced rafters

River trip through Gila Wilderness demands experience and careful attention

SILVER CITY, NM, April 20, 2023 – Gila National Forest employees recently completed a 4-day trip down the Gila River, putting in at the East Fork Gila River and taking out at Turkey Creek. They report numerous trees down across the channel, making navigation difficult and hazardous.

Within a few short miles after a popular put-in off of New Mexico Highway 15, near Gila Hot Springs, the first of many down trees across the river, or “strainers” as they are known among rafters, is encountered on a blind river bend. Downed trees and other obstructions act like sieves that can easily entrap unwary rafters between the object and the pressure of flowing water. With the Gila River flowing at 300 to 400 cubic feet per second through this segment, river hazards can arrive surprisingly quickly.

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Grant County 4-Hers qualify for state shooting championship

Congratulations to all the youth that have qualified for teams for the state championship to be held in Raton, NM May 5-7, 2023

Please see the PDF below for the list of qualifiers and their coaches.

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Rebecca Dow Appointed to New Mexico Colonias Infrastructure Board

Santa Fe, NM—The New Mexico Colonias Infrastructure Board appoints former Representative Rebecca Dow to the board. Dow will join the board's current members in their mission to improve the water and wastewater infrastructure in the state's colonias.

The New Mexico Colonias Infrastructure Board (CIB) is a state-level agency with the mission of improving the health, safety, and quality of life of New Mexico's border communities. The CIB works to provide infrastructure improvements to the Colonias, which are unincorporated, rural areas typically located along the U.S.-Mexico border.

This includes providing funding for the construction of roads, sewers, water systems, and other public works projects. The CIB also provides educational and technical assistance to residents of the Colonias, and works to promote economic development in the region.

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NMDOT prepares for annual Tour of the Gila Bicycle Race

Motorists should expect various road closures and delays

 SILVER CITY - The Annual Tour of the Gila Bicycle Race begins Wednesday, April 26, 2023, running through Sunday, Apr. 30, 2023. Law enforcement agencies will provide traffic control as racers travel through various routes.

Law enforcement will be stationed on NM 90, US 180, NM 152, NM 15, and NM 35 to secure the safety of bicyclists, spectators and motorists. For more race information, visit the Tour of the Gila website at www.tourofthegila.com  or contact Jack Brennan at (575) 590-2612.

Motorists may encounter intermittent closures. Please expect delays.

Wednesday, Apr. 26, 2023, Mogollon Race: Begins on US 180 at Gough Park to NM 211 finishing at NM 159 milepost 6.7. from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. in both directions with a rolling road closure.

Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023, Inner Loop Race: Begins on US 180 to NM 15 to NM 35 onto NM 152 and finishes at Fort Bayard Medical Center. The closure will be on NM 15 from milepost 7 to milepost 25 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. This will be in both directions.

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