Front Page News

By Frost McGahey, Investigative Journalist

(Author's Note: Names have been changed to protect privacy.)

In documents obtained by IRPA, it shows that the insurer for the 6th Judicial District paid out $40,000 to a woman attorney for sexual discrimination done by Michael Renteria. When Renteria became the district attorney, he hired a male attorney for $109,000 while the woman attorney Portia*, already working there, was only paid $101,000. They had comparable duties, although Portia handled 162 cases versus 40 for the male.*

Portia's job was to handle all violent crimes including crimes against the police and juvenile crimes. An experience prosecutor, she was considered highly qualified by law enforcement and worked closely with police.

From the complaint:

Photos and article by Mary Alice Murphy

The newly named Women and Newborn Services area combines the labor and delivery rooms, the recovery rooms and the nursery in one area of the hospital instead of being spread out in various sections of the facility. The areas have been alternately called Labor and Delivery, Maternal Child (MATCH), and now will have a new identity.

Two RNs (registered nurses) gave this author and photographer a tour of the new area in the Gila Regional Medical Center.

The first impression was of light, happiness and an uplifting area to have one's baby, first or fifth.

By Lynn Janes

The town of Hurley held a regular meeting July 9, 2024. Attendance to the meeting included Mayor Ed Stevens, Mayor Pro Tem Nanette Day, councilors, Reynaldo Maynes, Keana Huerta and James Langley (online).

Public Input

George Moreno, committee chair, updated the council on the recreation project for the Big Muddy and the meetings that had taken place. They had a lot of discussion and had sent out flyers. which had brought 20 responses to date with feedback. Huerta, with the information gathered, will be contacting the engineers for some recommendations.

By Mary Alice Murphy

[Author's Note: Calls to the Grant County Clerk's Office and the Assessor's Office only confused this writer. I corrected my first draft! Be aware of what the questions say. Do not rely on what others have told you. Think for yourself, and READ the language, even though it contorts the brain.]

This author's calls to the Clerk's Office and the Assessor's Office hopefully can help you a bit.

NMSU Grant County Extension is ?pleased to announce that the local ?Extension Agent, Jessica Swapp Massengill, ?has ?been ?honored with ?the ?National ?Association ?of ?County ?Agriculture ?Agents ?award for Audio Recordings with her podcast. This recognition is awarded by her peers in acknowledgment of Jessica's exceptional contributions to communications.

Photos (in slideshow at the bottom) and article by Mary Alice Murphy

The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission's open house held at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center on Tuesday, July 23, 2024, had already attracted 60 individuals when it still had almost two hours to go.

The survey on the statewide rate planning process and its decisions will impact every user of water, whether you own a farm, a garden, or simply use water to drink, cook with or bathe in. If you missed the in-person open house, the survey is available online [link below], with a deadline for Aug. 18, for everyone in the state to participate and give their feedback.

The purpose of the open house was to educate attendees and get their input on the water planning process going on at the state level.

By Allie Miller, 2024 Grant County 4-H Council Reporter, 16 years old.

The State 4-H Conference is an event where each Senior member of the youth in 4-H from each county around the state of New Mexico is given a chance to compete against others in various presentation and judging competitions. They compete as county teams and as individuals. Not only are they given the chance to compete, but each night they spend at the conference, they are given the chance to socialize and also unwind from the long and eventful days they spend there. This year, the 2024 State 4-H Conference was held July 8th - July 11th in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Eleven of our youth participated in judging contests, along with other 4-H youth from around the state of New Mexico.

Grant County did extremely well this year.

By Roger Lanse

On Tuesday, July 16, 2024, at about 3:39 p.m., a Silver City Police Department officer was dispatched to Harbor Freight, 214 E. Highway 180, in reference to a battery. According to an SCPD incident report, when the officer arrived, he made contact with Michael Medina, 48, of Silver City while Santos Medina, 61, also of Silver City, was being treated by EMS.