Here’s a look at today’s local news:
According to the U.S. Forest Service Gila National Forest, an environmental cleanup began this week at the Royal John Mine and Mill located in the Silver City Ranger District of the Gila National Forest. The mine site is east of San Lorenzo in Grant County on the western slopes of the Black Range of the Mimbres Mountains. The cleanup is requiring the use of heavy construction equipment during the daylight hours and the Royal John Mine Road will be closed at the Forest boundary, approximately 7 miles from New Mexico Highway 61. This section is closed to public motorized use 24 hours a day except for Saturdays from 6:00 P.M. to Sundays at 9:00 P.M. The closure will be in effect until approximately June 28th.
Yesterday, House Bill 308, titled the “Dental Therapist Bill”, was signed into law by Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham. The bill amends the Dental Health Care Act to license and establish dental therapists as a new type of dental practitioner. In addition, the bill sets the scope of practice for dental therapists, places limits on where dental therapists can practice, and establishes dental therapist license fees. House Bill was passed through the legislature with bipartisan support to help end the dental care crisis in the state by providing needed preventative care to all citizens.
Earlier this week, New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture, Jeff Witte, and the New Mexico State Dean of Agriculture, Dr. Rolando Flores, participated in a face-to-face conversation with residents of Grant County and the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center in Silver City. The event, coordinated by the Grant County Cooperative Extension Office, featured discussions regarding border related issues that affect agricultural, questions regard hemp crop production, and the shortage of agricultural workers.
A new project specialist has been named at the Center for Health Innovation who will lead the efforts of the Youth Substance Abuse Coalition of Grant County. Corina Castillo, of Santa Clara, will taking on the position that is aimed at preventing underage drinking and youth prescription drug abuse through policy change in Grant County. This program is funded by a grant from the New Mexico Human Services Division Office of Substance Abuse Prevention. Castillo is a graduate of Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in Health Science.
To celebrate the Annual Day of the Young Child, Deming visitors and residents will see blue ribbons and pinwheels decorating business, governmental offices and neighborhoods. The ribbons and pinwheels were purchased by CASA, also known as Court Appointed Special Advocates. On April 12th, children and families will gather for a march beginning at 9:00 A.M. at Veterans’ Park located at 301 South Silver Avenue in Deming. The march will proceed from the corner of Silver and Hemlock to south Gold Street where the march will turn south on Gold and finish at the Luna County Courthouse Park. These events coincide with April being designated as National Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention Month.
