Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
A crop-dusting pilot based out of Texas went down in his single engine plane near Columbus yesterday morning. According to the report, the pilot was working a field east of Columbus, 30 miles south of Deming. The investigation revealed that the door to release the pesticide would not open while airborne, so the pilot tried to land at the private airstrip outside of Columbus. The plane was bouncing, so he tried to take off again and ran out of tarmac. The plane did a nosedive at the end of the airstrip. The pilot refused medical treatment, but appeared only to have suffered scratches from nearby mesquite bushes.
Two semi-trailer rigs collided Tuesday afternoon near Akela Flats 20 miles east of Deming. Traffic was stopped for an accident further east on I-10, and a semi had stopped while the second did not see that traffic had stopped and rear-ended the other truck, causing to go over onto the frontage road. The driver of the first truck seemed to be uninjured, but according to an EMT on scene, the driver of the second truck was in “rough shape.” The driver was airlifted to a trauma unit.
The Silver City Town Council recently approved contract adjustments for union employees of the city. Adjustments included the removal of a provided meal when a union employee worked over four hours of overtime, but increased longevity pay, or a quarterly cash bonus the employees receive after at least 5 years of service. Contract changes will effect maintenance workers, parks and recreation and utility employees, and clerical staff. The council also rejected a bid proposal for Silco Theater renovations. The Silver City MainStreet Project was unable to locate additional funding, but will continue to focus on the smaller renovation work until more funding sources can be found.
According to a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over half of adults in New Mexico and a quarter of youth meet aerobic physical activity guidelines. 52.5 percent of adults get the 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, and 26.3 percent of children and adolescents meet the 60 minutes per day guidelines. Physical activity is one of the most important steps New Mexicans can take to improve their health, according to the Department of Health Secretary. People who are physically active tend to live longer and have lower risk for heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, depression, some cancers, and obesity.
A Flash Flood watch is in effect for much of the area tonight, including the upper Gila River Valley, the Southern Gila Highlands and Black Range, the Mimbres Valley, the Southwest Desert, Northern and Southern Dona Ana County, as well as the cities of Gila, Hot Springs, Buckhorn Mule Creek, Cliff, Silver City, Lake Roberts, Kingston, Lordsburg, Deming, and surrounding areas in Grant, Luna, Hidalgo, Sierra, and Dona Ana Counties. Heavy rainfall may lead to areas of flooding through 12 o’clock midnight tonight. Excessive runoff from the rain may lead to flash flooding along drainages, arroyos, small streams, and low water crossings. Ponding of water will occur in poorly drained low-lying areas and roadways.
