Front Page News

By Lynn Janes

The Silver City Town Council held a regular meeting July 8, 2025. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ken Ladner, Mayor Pro Tem Guadalupe Cano, Nicholas Prince, Rudy Bencomo and Stan Snider.

Council comments

Cano said she had attended the policy committee meeting for the New Mexico Municipal League. This meeting sets the legislative priorities for the following year session. This year they had been the same as normal. One priority has been making sure more funding has been put into the water trust board. They also will be hoping that some changes will be made to the IPRA (Inspection Public Records Act). People from other states and countries have been requesting sensitive video. Police departments across the state have been having a lot of problems with this. They want to make them accessible to residents only.

By Lynn Janes

The Village of Santa Clara held a regular meeting July 3, 2025. Mayor Arnold Lopez called the meeting to order. Trustees, Peter Erickson, Olga Amador and Ralph Trujillo attended. Mayor Pro Tem Albert Esparza did not attend.

The council approved the agenda with some changes in order, past meeting minutes and department head reports.

Mayor's report

Lopez said the streets have started to look really good with all the projects they had done. The group that had did the projects in town will be attending the next meeting to provide a report. The YCC (youth conservation corps) kids had come and helped with the project and did an excellent job. "We are super happy." Lopez said he had received a lot of positive comments.

By Mary Alice Murphy

Before the ceremony began, while residents gathered under a large tent, and dignitaries came to the venue at the Silver City Henry V. "La Burra" Morales Recreation Center, Western New Mexico University's acclaimed Mariachi de Plata serenaded the hundreds of attendees.

[Editor's Note: Please visit https://www.grantcountybeat.com/news/news-articles/silver-citys-new-recreation-center-ribbon-cutting-held-july-17-2025 ]

Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments Executive Director Priscilla Lucero organized the event, and served as mistress of ceremonies.

Goose Fire Update 

Saturday July 26, 2025

Reported date: July 9,2025           Containment: 30%               Cause: Lightning/Natural          Size: 3401 acres

Personnel: 115                                     Fuels: Timber, Brush                       Strategy: Full Suppression

Fire behavior: Minimal, Smoldering, Creeping

Operations: Yesterday, crews made good progress on the Goose Fire, as they addressed the remaining areas of suppression repair along Goose Lake Trail #238, Sheep Corral Trail #231, and the 282 and 4083V Forest Service roads. Firefighters also continued securing the fire perimeter and extinguishing any hot spots. A helicopter aided suppression efforts with water bucket drops throughout the day. Firing operations were conducted overnight to secure additional containment areas. Today, rehab work will continue in the same areas as yesterday with crews and heavy equipment, and a helicopter will be available for bucket drops if needed.

Reseeding efforts in the Gila National Forest, Grant County, aim to jumpstart regrowth, stabilize soils and support wildlife and watershed recovery.

SILVER CITY, N.M. - In the wake of the Trout Fire in Grant County, the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF) and the New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) swiftly reseeded burned areas in collaboration with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) to restore over 1,200 acres of key habitat near the Bear Canyon Lake Wildlife Management Area through targeted reseeding efforts. The state agencies' quick reaction was crucial because the rapid response bypassed the potentially lengthy federal approval process that could have jeopardized seeding efforts due to impending monsoon rains.

Goose Fire Update 

Friday July 25, 2025

Reported date: July 9,2025              Containment: 30%              Cause: Lightning/Natural           Size: 3401 acres

Personnel: 140                              Fuels: Timber, Brush                         Strategy: Full Suppression

Fire behavior: Minimal Smoldering, Creeping

Operations: Due to more accurate mapping, the Goose Fire is now mapped at 3,401 acres and 30% percent contained. Incident personnel remain actively engaged in suppression actions, repair activities, and hazard mitigation. Yesterday, crews made progress doing fire suppression rehab work along Goose Lake Trail #238, Sheep Corral Trail #231, and the 282 and 4083V Forest Service roads. Heavy equipment was used to do repair work on trails, parking areas, and areas along the wilderness boundary. Helicopter support was active in the afternoon to suppress active areas of the fire.

By Michael LaReaux

The Grant County Commission opened their May 6 work session with the Pledge of Allegiance, followed by a salute to the state flag. Following an approval of the session agenda, Chairman Chris Ponce opened the floor for public comment.

Former District 3 Commissioner Alicia Edwards took the podium to address the Commission. She quipped about it feeling different to stand on the other side of the microphone and then spoke at length about the controversy surrounding HMS and the possible interruption of services for the county's senior citizens. She asked that the HMS board "take the county's questions seriously for the good of the community." Edwards pointed out that HMS is a federally qualified health center primarily funded by public money, just as the County Commission is, and like the Commission, the HMS board should be accountable to the public. HMS and the county should have a mutually beneficial strategic partnership, where HMS provides healthcare services, and the county provides amenities and infrastructure that allows HMS to attract and retain talented healthcare professionals.