The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) will host a neighborhood meeting on February 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Grant County Veterans Memorial Business and Conference Center to present and discuss proposed improvements to the U.S. 180/North Hudson Street/East 14th Street corridor. The meeting will feature a brief presentation outlining the planned enhancements, followed by an open forum for neighborhood and community members to ask questions and share concerns.
During its regular meeting Thursday, the Santa Clara Board of Trustees voted to promote Ronald Martinez to the rank of police sergeant. Village officials also discussed senior center operations, noting that the budget for a request for proposals was increased to allow for the potential operation of all four senior centers in Grant County, with a final decision expected in March. Additional reports highlighted successful legislative lobbying efforts, continued progress on pump track planning and animal shelter renovations, and plans to begin cemetery tree and road improvements this summer.
Western New Mexico University has announced five finalists in its national search for the institution’s 16th president. The finalists include Jose E. Coll, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Western Oregon University; Cameron Braxton Wesson, provost and vice president for academic affairs at La Salle University; and Carlos Rey Romero, associate vice president at New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. Also under consideration are Sharon A. Jones, vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of engineering at University of Washington Bothell, and Mario Martinez, provost and vice president for academic affairs at Fort Lewis College. The WNMU Board of Regents will meet March 17 to announce the next president in compliance with the New Mexico Open Meetings Act.
In Hidalgo County news:
The Hidalgo County Commission approved a resolution expressing support for the construction of federal border barrier infrastructure within Hidalgo County. Commission Chairman Kelly Peterson requested the resolution, citing concerns that excluding the county from barrier construction could create a funnel effect that would shift increased activity into the area. The resolution was passed unanimously and will be forwarded to relevant agencies and delegations, including the Department of Homeland Security. The Commission’s action coincides with the contract for a 49-mile barrier project in Hidalgo County that includes a primary wall system, secondary barriers, and advanced motion detection technology.
