Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
The Silver City Rotary Club’s Murder Mystery Dinner/Fundraiser in November generated a total of more than $3,000 for the Silver City Museum Society and the Silver City Community Theater. The two organizations had been designated beneficiaries of the event by the Rotary Club. Club president Leslie Bush, at the Club meeting on December 15, presented checks from the Silver City Rotary Foundation to Helen Shoup representing the Museum Society and Phyllis McQuaide representing the Community Theater.
In sports action, despite a strong game from Willie McCray and a solid second half, the Western New Mexico University men’s basketball team wasn’t able to come all the way back against Black Hills State University before falling, 68-57, Saturday night in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference action. The Mustangs will have the next week of and return to action New Years Day when they host Colorado School of Mines at 7:30 pm. Free admission will be available for the game.
Black Hills State University jumped out to an early 8-1 lead and never looked back against the Western New Mexico University women’s basketball team as the Yellow Jackets claimed the 76-47 Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference victory on Saturday. The Lady ‘Stangs will host Colorado School of Mines on New Year’s Day beginning at 5:30 pm. Free admission is also available for the women’s game. Celebrate the New Year and support our students as they play Colorado School of Mines.
The New Mexico Department of Veterans Services announced that it has opened several rural offices in the state to help rural-area veterans on a variety of issues, including assistance with disability compensation, pension claims, health care, and dependent/survivor benefits. The regional offices are the result of a federal grant. In addition, rural veterans can also call a new toll-free hotline to get their questions answered.
U.S. Senator Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich joined the full Senate in voting 65-33 for a so-called “omnibus” appropriations bill to fund the government through September 2016. The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill earlier today and it now heads to the president, who is expected to sign it into law. The bill funds several critical New Mexico programs such as veterans’ services; Tribal and Head Start programs; Los Alamos and Sandia national labs; construction at Holloman, Kirtland and Cannon Air Force bases; New Mexico’s national parks, monuments and refuges; public lands agencies; water projects across the state; Payments in Lieu of Taxes (PILT); and the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF).
