The Gila Community Foundation has completed the spring 2026 Southline Community Investment Program grant cycle, awarding $47,000 to organizations serving Grant, Hidalgo and Luna counties. More than 40 nonprofits, government agencies, and community organizations requested more than $321,000 in funding for community projects. Grant County award recipients include the Gila Native Plant Society, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Fort Bayard Historic Preservation Society, Silver City Outreach, Western New Mexico University Cultural Affairs, Silver High School, The Future Forge, and Literacy Link Leamos. Luna County recipients include the Deming Luna County MainStreet Program, Luna County, Play Sharity Children’s Museum, Deming-Luna County Humane Society, and the Foundation of Youth Arts. Multi-county grants totaling $30,000 were also awarded to La Casa, Inc. for programs serving Luna and Hidalgo counties and The Bridge of Southern New Mexico for programs serving Grant and Luna counties.
The Grant County Sheriff’s Office is warning residents about a phone scam involving callers posing as deputies. Scammers may spoof the Sheriff’s Office phone number and falsely claim victims have outstanding warrants, missed court dates, or unpaid citations while demanding immediate payment. Officials remind the public that the Sheriff’s Office never requests payment by phone and urge anyone receiving such calls to hang up, avoid sharing personal or financial information, and contact the Sheriff’s Office with questions.
A group of volunteers are working to revitalize the community orchard on 11th Street near Gough Park after years of limited maintenance. Originally planted about a decade ago, the orchard provides free fruit and uses landscaping designed to capture up to 35,000 gallons of stormwater runoff. Co-stewards Patricia Hurley of Lone Mountain Native Plants and Theressa Latoski are leading the restoration effort, which includes watering, clearing overgrown vegetation, and organizing volunteer workdays to restore the orchard and recruit additional community volunteers.
In New Mexico news: New Mexicans recovering from the impacts of wildfire can access the After Wildfire New Mexico Guide, a comprehensive resource designed to help homeowners, landowners, communities, and local governments navigate the recovery process. The guide provides practical information on returning home safely, assessing property damage, reducing post-fire hazards such as flooding and erosion, accessing recovery assistance, and coordinating community response efforts. Residents seeking wildfire recovery resources can learn more by visiting website.
