U.S Senator Martin Heinrich wants to remind residents that the 2018 fire season is almost here and that it is important for everyone to do their part to protect communities from unintended fires. Some important tips include, creating a defensible space around the home, clear leaves and debris from gutters, eaves, porches and decks, remove anything stored underneath decks or porches and cover areas below patios and decks with wire mesh to prevent combustible materials from accumulating, remove flammable materials such as firewood stacks, small propane tanks, and dry vegetation within 30 feet of your home’s foundation and other buildings; prune low branches on trees and keep lawn and other vegetation near the home hydrated and maintained. For more information, visit the “Wildfire Preparedness & Prevention Resource Center” link on Senator Heinrich’s website.
The U.S Supreme Court ruled yesterday that a lawsuit over access to water from the Rio Grande between Texas, New Mexico and Colorado must be sent back to an arbitrator, also known as a special master. The Rio Grande Compact is an interstate agreement signed in 1938 and ratified by Texas, New Mexico and Colorado in 1939 to equitably apportion the waters of the Rio Grande Basin. In 2013 Texas took its case to the Supreme Court requesting that New Mexico cease pumping groundwater along the border so that more of the waters from the Rio Grande could flow south to farmers and residents in El Paso. In turn, New Mexico has argued that it’s meeting the delivery obligations to Texas. The compact also requires Colorado to send a specific amount of water from the border each year to New Mexico which is then directed to the Elephant Butte Reservoir. Earlier this year, the U.S Supreme Court threw out New Mexico’s motion to dismiss the lawsuit and yesterday ruled that the federal government also has a role in the case because it is responsible for water delivery to Mexico and therefore can seek damages against New Mexico.
The Rio Grande is one of the longest rivers in the United States running from Colorado to Mexico.
The Columbus Historical Society is making preparations the 102nd anniversary of the raid on the Village of Columbus by Mexican Revolutionary, Pancho Villa. The Society will hold a memorial service on Friday at 10:00 A.M. to honor the U.S. citizens and soldiers that died during the attack that occurred on March 9th, 1916. The ceremony will include an invocation, a color guard provided by the U.S Border Patrol, the playing of taps, and a roll call of the names of the victims. Saturday will be celebrated as a day of reconciliation. The Columbus Chamber of Commerce in collaboration with Pancho Villa State Park will provide activities that revolve around friendship and cooperation that has developed in the years since the raid.
The Silver Consolidated Schools administration is hosting a town hall meeting tomorrow night at 5:00 P.M. in the Little Theater at Silver High School with the purpose of discussing school safety. The meeting will include members of the Silver City Police Department, New Mexico State Police, Grant County sheriff’s deputies, and members of the Silver school board. The meeting is open to the public and will include time for questions.
