The Community Work Group (CWG), under the Chino Administrative Order on Consent (AOC), will hold its next meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday, March 10, at the Bayard Community Center. The AOC is a voluntary but binding agreement between the New Mexico Environment Department and Freeport-McMoRan Chino Mines Company to evaluate potential health and environmental impacts from past mining activities around the Chino Mine and, if necessary, oversee remediation efforts. Areas under review include Hurley Soil, Whitewater Creek, Smelter Area Soil, Hanover Creek, Tailing Area Soil and the Lampbright Area.
Western New Mexico University recently announced the establishment of a new scholarship in honor of Professor of Marketing Dr. Gordon Flanders, recognizing the influence he has had on the lives and careers of his students. The scholarship supports upper-division business students who demonstrate academic excellence and a commitment to the field of marketing. The fund ensures that Dr. Flanders’ high standards and passion for teaching will continue to inspire future Mustangs.
The Deming Police Department will begin deploying a Juvenile Task Force to conduct S.T.A.R. (Safe Teens & Accountability Response) operations on weekends at Starmax Theater and nearby Trees Lake, where increasing incidents of unsupervised juvenile activity have raised community safety concerns. The initiative is aimed at reducing juvenile misconduct and promoting responsible behavior through measures such as enforcing parental supervision requirements, addressing narcotics-related activity, and ensuring compliance with local and state driving laws.
In other news:
The Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team reported that the minimum population of Mexican wolves reached 319 at the end of 2025, continuing a steady growth trend that has lasted more than a decade. The increase moves the recovery program closer to meeting criteria that could support downlisting the species under the Endangered Species Act. Recovery guidelines call for an average of 320 wolves over a four-year period, and while that average has not yet been reached, the current population level signals progress toward that goal. A future 4(d) rule could provide New Mexico and Arizona with greater flexibility to manage wolves and address conflicts while continuing recovery efforts.
