Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
The Reserve Ranger District, Gila National Forest wants to inform the public that the Willow Creek Campground is currently recommended tent camping only. Due to flooding last winter, the internal loop providing trailer turnaround inside Willow Creek Campground was washed out leaving nowhere to turn a trailer around. The Southwest portion of the United States is in monsoon season. Flooding and road wash-outs is a natural result of the monsoonal rains. Even if the immediate area isn’t receiving rain, there could be a rainstorm somewhere else in the forest and the water flow could become dangerous. Remember that the Gila NF covers over 3 million acres and many small communities. Look at the predicted weather for the specific area where you plan to visit and do not cross flooded roadways or flooded washes. If flooding occurs at Willow Creek there may exist the need for a temporary closure. For more valuable information go to the following websites: http://nmroads.com/mapIndex_2017041401.html; https://waterdata.usgs.gov/NM/nwis/current?type=flow&group_key=county_cd&search_site_no_station_nm; http://www.weather.gov/; http://www.fs.usda.gov/gila or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GilaNForest/ or follow on Twitter @GilaNForest
A very valuable painting stolen from the University of Arizona Museum 31 years ago, was discovered and returned by the co-owners of local downtown business, Manzanita Ridge. The Willem de Kooning painting, was purchased as part of an estate sale from a home in Cliff. The painting has since been returned to the University of Arizona Museum where it has been officially authenticated. David Van Auker, Buck Burns and David Johnson, owners of Manzanita Ridge Furniture and Antiques, were honored at a national press conference on Monday in Tucson.
Leadership at Gila Regional Medical Center has eliminated the positions of five administrators. CEO, Taffy Arias, expects the eliminations to save over $500,000 annually.
Led by the Southwest New Mexico Council of Governments, the town of Hurley has gathered enough loans, grants, and private investments to fund their portion of a regional water distribution project. The USDA just delivered over $2.5 million dollars in grants and loans that will the fund transmission line, head tank, and boosters needed for water delivery. This project will pump water from wells owned by the town of Silver City, located near the Grant County Airport. The primary goal is that construction will be completed before the December 2018 deadline when Freeport-McMoRan will cease delivering water to the town of Hurley.
