The New Mexico Tourism Department is awarding more than $831,000 through the New Mexico Clean and Beautiful Program to a record 76 community partners for fiscal year 2027, supporting beautification, litter reduction and waste management efforts across the state. About 72 percent of the funding is dedicated to reducing waste, eliminating litter and improving community appearance, while the remainder will support youth engagement and strengthen local program capacity. Local recipients include the Village of Columbus, the Town of Silver City, the City of Lordsburg, the City of Deming, and the Village of Santa Clara.
New Mexico Legal Aid will host a free Estate Planning Information Clinic for low-income New Mexicans on Aug. 6 at 4 p.m. at the Silver City Public Library. The clinic will provide information on wills, powers of attorney, transfer-on-death deeds and advance health care directives. The session is open to the public, and financially eligible participants may qualify for free estate planning document preparation through New Mexico Legal Aid. Attendees will also learn about the application process and have the opportunity to meet with an attorney to complete their estate planning documents.
Luna County has been awarded more than $9.1 million through the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department’s Grid Modernization Program to upgrade electrical infrastructure at the Hondale Substation in Deming. The project is designed to expand the local power grid’s capacity for future community solar development by replacing the existing transformer with a larger 33.7 MVA unit and upgrading key substation equipment, including circuit switchers, cable connections, protection and control systems, and supporting infrastructure.
In New Mexico news:
The New Mexico Health Care Authority is reminding families that the final issuance of Sun Bucks benefits for 2026 will be distributed on Sept. 15. Parents and guardians have until Aug. 22 to submit an application for the program. Student information must be entered exactly as it appears in school records, as errors could result in an application being denied. More information and program updates are available on the website.
