Here’s a look at today’s news:
Luna County Commissioners have decided that newly appointed county manager, Bruce Swingle, will begin working on February 11th. Swingle, is replacing former county manager, Ira Pearson, whose contract was terminated last October after being charged with four fourth-degree felonies for his alleged participation in county corruption. Swingle, has served as manager of Sierra County for four years and has previously worked for McKinley and Valencia counties in addition to the New Mexico Association of Counties. His contract was negotiated to start at $125,000 annually.
In other news:
The Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest received their first delivery of 844 cases of cookies for 2019. Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest Cookie Season began over the weekend. The annual sale is a great opportunity for our girls to raise money for fun events, educational activities and community projects. The first known sale of cookies by Girl Scouts occurred in 1917, when a troop in Oklahoma, baked cookies and sold them in its high school cafeteria as a service project. As the Girl Scout Cookie Program developed and evolved, it not only became a vehicle for teaching five essential skills—goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Today, nearly 1 million Girl Scouts participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, generating nearly $800 million in cookie sales during the average season. The net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Program—100 percent of it— stays with the local GSDSW council and troops. Once again, the public will be able to order cookies for our soldier’s overseas for only $4.00 a box or send a whole case for only $48 dollars.
Town of Silver City District 3 Councilor, Jose Ray, will be facing an opponent for the March 5th election when Nicholas H. Prince, completed the candidate application by the deadline last of Tuesday. In addition, Mayor Pro Tem, Cynthia Bettison, is up for re-election in District 1, and as of this time does not face a challenger. The Silver City Mayor and councilors serve 2- year terms with Districts 1 and 3 holding elections during odd numbered years and District 2 and 4 holding elections during even numbered years. Silver City is the only municipality in New Mexico that conducts annual elections. Write-in candidacy day is tomorrow at City Hall from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Early balloting will begin at City Hall on Tuesday, February 5th, and run through Saturday, March the 2nd. Election day voting is Tuesday, March 5th, at the Silver City Woman’s Club, from 7 A.M. to 7 P.M. The deadline to register to vote in the town election is February 5th by 5:00 P.M.
The Grant County Community Foundation hosted a gathering of area nonprofits at the Beat Mountain Lodge in Silver City to kick off “Give Grandly”, a one-day fundraising event that has raised over $500,000 during the last five years. The non-profit groups have been operating as the Southwest New Mexico Nonprofit Coalition with the Grant County Community Foundation as their fiscal sponsor. Carol Fugagli, of the Upper Gila Watershed Alliance, was elected President during the meeting in addition a committee was formed to organize the “Give Grandly” event on May 11th, from 8:30 A.M. to 2:30 P.M. in downtown Silver City near entrance to Farmer’s Market.
