Here’s a look at today’s headlines:

The Gila National Forest Reserve Ranger District plans to conduct pile burns beginning tomorrow, January 13th, at various locations as weather conditions permit.  Burns may be conducted at the Rancho Grande Subdivision, Sheep Basin, Reserve Administrative Site, Negrito Fire Base, SU Slash pit, Five Bar Subdivision, Cruzville Interpretive Site, Highway Department piles along the north side of State Highway 12 and US 180, and Willow Creek Mesa.

The US House of Representatives on Friday passed the Keystone XL Pipeline Act, which approved construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.  The measure put an end to the lengthy delay of the project.  According to Congressman Steve Pearce, the bill will provide jobs for Americans and increase American energy independence.  Energy development in New Mexico and the western US is critical to local economics and job growth, especially in small towns and rural areas.

During Thursday’s regular Grant County Commission meeting, Commissioners voted to maintain Brett Kasten as Commission chairman.  Other business included consideration of a state-mandated approval or disapproval of a tax rebate to benefit low-income property owners, which was not approved.  Commissioners then approved granting a franchise for cable services to Comcast.  The third piece of business during the public hearing addressed an ordinance governing the connection to public sanitary sewer in the extraterritorial area surrounding the town of Silver City, within Grant County.

Early voting for the Silver and Cobre School Board elections began on Friday, with election day scheduled for February 3rd.  Two school board candidates recently spoke at the Republican Party of Grant County meeting to share their plans and credentials for the board.  Incumbent Trent Petty said his stated aims were to reduce bullying for students and provide a vocational tech school.  Both are in progress, but not fully established.  Frances Gonzales, running for the Cobre board, voiced concern that the school’s food service and maintenance departments were outsourced, and that the standards were too hard for students with disabilities.