Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
Two new fires have been reported on the Gila National Forest. The Pueblo Fire was 7 miles north of Alma, one tenth of an acre, and has been contained. The Heifer fire is 6 miles west of the intersection of U.S. Hwy 180 and NM Hwy 12 and is also one tenth of an acre. Both fires were caused by lightning. The Gila National Forest has several other fires that are managed for multiple objectives and not being actively suppressed. Only the 20 acre Burnt Fire 9 miles east of Upper Black Canyon Campground, the 6,885 acre Turkey Fire 8 miles west of the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument, and the 113 acre Miller Fire 9 miles of Luna are showing any smoke. These fires are all being managed to reduce hazardous fuels to reduce the severity of future wildfires as well as to improve overall forest health. Smoke from the Miller Fire has been visible from U.S. Hwy 60 between Springerville AZ and Quemado NM. Forest managers have identified an area in which to confine this fire. Gila National Forest officers and ranger stations will be closed Monday, July 4th in observance of Independence Day and will resume regular business hours on Tuesday, July 5th.
Girl Scouts of the Desert Southwest recently completed a program called “Power of the Penny” where girls were able to learn about money. The girls played games where they earned allowances, paid for movies and treats, and earned money through sales. Girl Scouts is for all girls in grades K-12 where they can discover the fun, friendship and the power of girls together.
Luna County has just donated a portion of its southern land to the United States General Services Administration for use in the building of a new port of entry near the border town of Columbus. The 10-acre lot, which is located next to the current port of entry, will allow the Administration to complete its $85 million port expansion to be able to facilitate more traffic moving across the border.
Yesterday, Governor Susana Martinez announced an 83 percent increase in matching DNA samples from felony arrests to previously unsolved crimes since she expanded Katie’s Law in April of 2011, which provides for the collection of DNA from all felony arrests in New Mexico.
On Tuesday, Martinez announced the capture of the 100th DWI fugitive in New Mexico since the roundup began late last year. In December, Governor Martinez directed New Mexico State Police and the Department of Corrections Absconder Unit to track down and arrest DWI offenders – including repeat offenders and those who have killed or seriously injured families on the road – and have now skipped out on parole or probation and are hiding from the law.
