Front Page News

New Mexico Highway 15 closed to public traffic

Silver City, NM, June 12, 2025—The Trout Fire grew eastward today, crossing over New Mexico Highway 15 and resulting in closure of the highway to public traffic from the Highway 15/35 intersection south to the Ben Lilly Memorial. The Gila Las Cruces Type 3 Incident Command Team will assume command of the fire at 6:00 p.m. today and will transition to a Type 2 incident command organization tomorrow, June 13 at 6:00 p.m. With active fire behavior observed today, Trout Fire is currently estimated at 300 acres.

Trout Fire was reported early this morning. Responding resources include the Gila Hotshots, two Type 6 engine crews, one Type 3 engine crew, and two 10-person fire suppression modules with support from aerial resources including two Single Engine Air Tankers, one Type 1 and one Type 3 helicopter, and fixed wing air attack. Additionally, three more hotshot crews and two dozers have been ordered.

ROAD CLOSURE:

CLOSURE- Silver City Pinos Altos Area

Closure, NM 15 northbound and southbound from mile marker 17, 10 miles north of Pinos Altos to mile marker 22, 15 miles north of Pinos Altos. Closed due to a forest fire.

Closure, NM 35 eastbound and westbound at mile marker 27, 0.5 miles south of NM 15. Closure due to a forest fire.

Meadow and Trout fires are 15 miles north of Silver City

Silver City, NM, June 12, 2025—Firefighters are responding to two new wildfires approximately 15 miles north of Silver City. The fires are located east and west of New Mexico Highway 15, in the Meadow Creek and Sheep Corral areas.

The Meadow Fire was reported last night and is located near the end of a spur road in the Meadow Creek area. It is burning in ponderosa pine, oak, and grass. An engine crew worked the fire overnight, establishing fireline around the 8.5-acre fire. Another engine crew, along with the Northern Colorado Type 2 hand crew took over the Meadow Fire this morning and are working to establish containment.

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a regular meeting May 22, 2025. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza, trustees, Peter Erickson, Olga Amador and Ralph Trujillo attended.

The council approved the agenda, past meeting minutes and department head reports.

Mayor's report

By Lynn Janes

The Cobre Consolidated School Board held a special meeting on May 15, 2025. Board members in attendance included Gabriella Begay, Gilbert Guadiana, David Terrazas, and Angelina Hardin. Superintendent Michael Koury also attended. Emmarie Heredia did not attend.

The board approved the agenda except Guadiana who voted no. Guadian didn't know how the topic for the executive session had been decided without the board's participation in the decision. He further cited for transparency the exclusion of the public would send the wrong signal even though it would be an interim position. The last point he wanted to make would be how could they have a selection without putting out a request for letters of interest. They still had a majority vote to go into executive session.

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Consolidated Schools held a work session, and regular meetings May 19, 2025. Members in attendance Ashley Montenegro, Michelle Diaz, Patrick Cohn, Mike McMillan (came after work session) and Kimberly Klement. Superintendent William Hawkins also attended.

Work session

Luis Carrasco, Rodey Law Firm, attended to address the upcoming election and SB9. He said they had a very successful bond sale earlier in the year. He had come to help the district in having the Senate Bill 9 question on the ballot for the November 4, 2025, election. The schools in accordance with the election code can propose questions to the voters on odd years and this will be an odd year.

Editorial

First of all, I, as the editor, etc. for The Grant County Beat, want to thank all of you who read and support the Beat. For me, it is a labor of love to provide news to the community, news that is as factual and complete as we can make it with our limited resources.

We always want to provide the best services to the community that we can, however, costs have risen, and revenues have not followed suit.

A great way to get your message out about an event that you are planning is to advertise in a display ad on the Beat. Prices are reasonable, and you may request an ad rate sheet at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  . Long-term ads qualify for a discount.

For a small monthly or annual fee, we will continue to send out a three-times-weekly newsletter update, Monday,Wednesday and Friday, with links to articles that we have posted on the Beat since the previous update.

By Roger Lanse

An Arenas Valley resident and amateur birder reports the rare sighting of a pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks, male and female, at their home the morning of Thursday, June 5, 2025. The pair reportedly flew into a front yard willow tree, hanging out for only a few seconds before flying off not to be seen again. Needless to say, the birder and his birding partner told the Beat they were over the moon elated, as they had only seen the bird once before in September of 2003.

The rose-breasted grosbeak is not listed in the bird checklists of the Southwest New Mexico Birding Trail or the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument and is listed as 'rare' and 'transient during migration' in the Gila National Forest checklist.