Here’ a look at some local news:

A cyclist sustained fatal injuries the morning of September 21st in State Road 146 near mile marker 16 north of Hachita, in Grant County. According to the Grant County Beat, the State Police initial investigation has indicated that a 2018 Chevy SUV driven by a 56-year old male from Phoenix, Arizona struck cyclist, Michael Rachelson, 66, of Norcross, Georgia as they were both riding south of State Road 146. The investigation is still underway, although alcohol does not appear to be factor in the accident in addition to there being no shoulder to the road in the area of the crash.

The New Mexico Department of Agriculture has extended the deadline regarding grant proposals for the Health Soil Program. According to the Department of Agriculture, the program has been created to promote and support farmers and ranchers in assisting to increase soil organic matter, aggregate stability, microbiology and water retention to improve the state’s soil health, yield and profitability. The Healthy Soil Act was signed into law on April 2nd of this year. Grants for soil health improvement pilot projects are available to entities that work directly with farmers, ranchers, and land managers in the state. The original deadline has been extended from October 3rd to November 6th 2019. For more information, visit nmda.nmsu.edu.

The 15th Annual Gila River Festival wrapped up on Sunday with a field trip to the River Ranch, just north of the City of Rocks State Park. The tour was led by Ron Troy, the southwest projects coordinator for the New Mexico Land Conservancy. The festival also featured many events and activities including a visit from keynote speaker, Tim DeChristopher, an American climate activist and co-founder of the environmental group Peaceful Uprising.