Man at midnight flees from officers

By Roger Lanse

On Wednesday, Apr. 12, 2023, at five minutes past midnight, a Silver City man on a motorcycle began to lead Silver City Police Department officers on a chase from Broadway through streets in the southwest section of town. Originally, the officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the motorcycle because he could not see a license plate or a license plate light on the bike, according to a SCPD incident report. The rider was wearing a black hoodie, a black hat and jeans, and carrying a black backpack.

From Broadway, the report stated, the pursuit continued south on Texas Street, west on Spring Street, south on Arizona Street, south on Pinos Altos Street, west on Sonora Street and south on Cooper Street. The speed of the motorcycle was about 30 mph and the pursuing officer could now see a partial Arizona plate. The motorcycle then turned east on Chihuahua, south on Arizona Street, east on Garcia Street, south on Texas Street, west on Alice Street, south on Arizona Street, west on La Capilla, and south on Victoria Street.

Read more ...

Grant County Commission work session held April 11, 2023, part 1

[Editor's Note: This is part 1 of a multi-article series on the Comission work session on April 11, as well as on the regular meeting on April 13, 2923. This begins with the first work session presentation.]

By Mary Alice Murphy

The first presentation of the day featured Phoebe Schoeder, representing the New Mexico Department of Health and reporting on the Grant County Community Health Council efforts addressing community needs.

"This will be a brief report on what the Housing Insecurity Taskforce and the Health Council are working together on," Shroeder said. "I've been working with SPIN (Supporting People in Need) and the Gospel Mission to determine the needs of the community. We are seeing that needs are typically monetary. When I contacted the NMDOH, I learned we will be introducing the harm reduction mobile unit. The first time it will be in use will be on April 22, in conjunction with the Toss No Mas Earth Day clean-up that day. We will be going out to SPIN and the Gospel Mission introducing the services. We will also be working with individuals to get them the services to help them get off substances and connecting them with the mental health services if warranted. Additionally, the Homelessness Taskforce has been working with SPIN and the Gospel Mission to work with the San Vicente Consortium to meet concerns head on. As well as that, we are working on the Community Health Action Plan, that NMDOH is doing in conjunction with health councils across the state. Grant County had chosen to focus on mental health and substance abuse and focusing on those experiencing housing insecurity as well."

Read more ...

Silver City – Grant County Chamber of Commerce holds monthly luncheon 040623

img 6426Photo (in bad light) and article by Mary Alice Murphy

Silver City – Grant County Chamber of Commerce Director Romeo Cruz introduced Vladimir Gnilozubov, Edward Jones Financial Advisor, to the chamber members at the monthly luncheon on April 6, 2023 at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center.

Gnilozubov said he knows people have concerns about stocks, market inflation and potential recession. "I saw that as a need for what I do. Value is what I do. I know time is value, and I don't want to waste time for people who come in to see me."

He said his office helps its clients with all their financial issues from beginning investments to estate planning.

"Things have been painful the past two years," Gnilozubov agreed. "They include inflation, the rapid rise of interest rates, wars around the world. It all comes from 2020. It comes down to money supply. The country was printing money with no balance. The money supply increased by 40 percent."

Read more ...

Fatal Crash Involving an ATV on State Road 35 in Grant County

Grant County, NM – On April 7, 2023, at about 11:00 p.m., the New Mexico State Police investigated a fatal crash involving an all-terrain vehicle (ATV) on State Road 35 around milepost 18, northeast of Silver City.

The initial investigation indicates that a Polaris Sportsman ATV, driven by Alexander Harry Yazzie, 35, of Hurley, NM was traveling on State Road 35. For unknown reasons, the ATV overturned, ejecting Yazzie and his 39-year-old female passenger. Yazzie suffered fatal injuries in the crash and was pronounced deceased on the scene by the Office of the Medical Investigator. The passenger was airlifted to an area hospital. Her condition is not known.

Alcohol appears to have been a contributing factor in the crash, and helmets were not utilized. This crash is under investigation by the New Mexico State Police.

Kiwanis Easter Egg Hunt 040823

Photos by Mary Alice Murphy

The annual Easter Egg Hunt sponosred by the Silver City Kiwanis Club took place on Saturday April 8, 2023 beginning at 9 a.m. a Penny Park. Groups participating included volunteer face painters, as well as representatives from Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and the Silver City Police Department, the Grant County Sheriff's Department D.A.R.E program and the Silver City Fire Department. They took part helping the kids find eggs, find out information about their organizations, and simply make kids and their parents aware of what the groups do. 

According to various members of the local Kiwanis Club, about 4,000 eggs were stuffed with goodies by members from two clubs of K-Kids and three Key Clubs.  About 15-20 kids participated in each of the 13-14 heats that took place. Planning for this annual project takes a lot of volunteer time, but the Kiwanis Club does it for the kids. 

Bayard discusses abandoned building ordinance

By Lynn Janes

The town of Bayard held a work session March 27, 2023. The work session started with Mayor Chon Fierro calling the meeting to order. Attendance at the meeting included councilors Eloy Medina, and Frances Gonzales. Mayor Pro tem Raul Villanueva and councilor Jose Diaz did not attend.

The work session gives the council an opportunity to ask questions about anything on the agenda.

Larry Ojinaga had been put on the agenda to discuss the updates on the abandoned building ordinance. Ojinaga said, "I can't understand why it is taking so long, you have been doing this since September 2022. Nothing ever gets done." Medina explained to him they have a process they must follow, and it takes time. "It has to be done properly; the ordinance affects a lot of people." Currently the ordinance has been given to the town attorney, William Perkins. Fierro said concerning the property that Ojinaga has concern about, it took them some time to track down the owner. Marlena Valenzuela, town clerk, said after they receive the ordinance back from Perkins, they would have to do public meetings and that would take a few months.

Read more ...

New Mexico Broadband Office announces award in Silver City

By Mary Alice Murphy

On Friday, March 31, 2023. Kelly Schlegel, director of the New Mexico Office of Broadband Access and Expansion (OBAE), and Sandeep Taxali traveled to Silver City to announce a substantial award to WNM Communications to expand service to Cliff and Mimbres.

Wayne Baxter of WNM Communications said that Covid pushed broadband to the front, with students going to school online and adults working from home. "We look at our service area as a whole."

The area covers about 15,000 square miles, with more than 750 miles of fiber optic.

Schlegel said she has worked in software engineering, aerospace and technology for 42 years with 30 of those years spent with Boeing.

Read more ...

Santa Clara updated on legislative session by Rep. Luis Terrazas

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held its regular meeting March 23, 2023. Mayor Richard Bauch called the meeting to order and led the Pledge of Allegiance. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza, trustees Olga Amador, Arnold Lopez, and Peter Erickson attended. 

The council approved the agenda for the meeting.

The council approved the minutes from the February 16, 2023, meeting.

The council approved the February 2023 department reports.

Mayor’s report

Bauch said they had finally received the long awaited Toro tractor the village ordered a year ago. The unit comes with several attachments and will make the work for the maintenance department easier. 

Read more ...

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.