The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT), in collaboration with Mountain States Constructors, Inc., is set to hold a Public Information Meeting tomorrow, October 30th, at 6 p.m. at the Hurley Community Center regarding the upcoming US 180 4-Lane project. This project will involve widening US 180 from a two-lane to a four-lane roadway, realigning the road over existing railroad tracks, and replacing the Hurley overpass with an at-grade roadway crossing at Pit Access Road. During the meeting, representatives will discuss the construction schedule, expected traffic impacts and timelines, review plans as well as answer any questions from community members.
The Gila National Forest’s Reserve Ranger District is preparing to implement a prescribed fire to treat approximately 220 acres around the Negrito Fire Base, aimed at protecting site infrastructure from wildfires while enhancing forest health. This re-treatment will help maintain an uneven-aged, open-grown forest by removing accumulated surface fuels, including stumps, logs, branches, grass, and brush, which have built up over the past dozen years since the last prescribed fire in the area. The prescribed burn is anticipated to last about one week, with ignitions occurring over a span of approximately two days, during which smoke may be visible from Willow Creek, Snow Lake, and Forest Road 141. The project is expected to take place in late October or early November, depending on staffing, fuel availability, and weather conditions.
In other news:
Approximately $500,000 in funding is available to New Mexico producers through the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program and the New Mexico Department of Agriculture (NMDA). Eligible applicants include individuals and non-federal entities such as producer groups, non-profits, trade associations, and colleges or universities. All project proposals must focus on marketing, training, certification, food safety, pest control, or plant health to benefit specialty crops, with submissions due to NMDA by Friday, February 14th. In December, outreach workshops will be conducted for potential applicants to provide more information and enhance understanding of the program. For additional details, interested parties are encouraged to visit the website.
