Here’s a look at today’s news:
Town of Silver City Manager, Alex Brown, announced the retirement of Silver City Police Chief, Ed Reynolds during the Silver City Town Council Meeting last night. Chief Reynolds is a 37- year veteran of the Silver City Police Department and has served as Police Chief since 2005. Captain Freddie Portillo, who has served on the Silver City Police force for 12 years, will be stepping in as acting police chief.
Entrance fees to the Gila Cliff Dwellings National Monument will be raised from $5 a person, to $10 a person in order to provide additional funding for infrastructure and maintenance needs. The fee increase will pay for replacement of the front doors of the Gila Cliff Dwellings visitor center with automatic doors, and in addition will pay for stabilization work on walls of the cliff dwellings. The National Park Service is creating an annual park pass specific to the cliff dwellings that will cost $45. The new pass and the entrance fee increase will be available and take effect on May 31st.
During the Deming High School Awards and Scholarship Recognition Program, Principal Marlene Padron, announced that the 2018 graduating class has been awarded a potential of over $1.9 million in awards and scholarships. The total of local scholarships added up to $83,500, in addition to out-of-state offers totaling $308,000, with in state schools adding up to over $1 million. Four students have committed to military careers and will receive over $480,000 in awards. The school district explained that the dollar amount of awards and scholarships is a “potential amount” because some students were offered an opportunity at more than one a college or university and will have to decline some of the scholarships. The Deming High Class of 2018 will graduate Friday at 7:00 p.m. at Memorial Stadium.
The Silver City MainStreet Project received a $62,000 grant from the Freeport McMoRan Foundation to implement Phase I of the Main Street Plaza. The funding will be used to install public restrooms in the Main Street Plaza located in the area between 7th and 8th Streets used by the farmers market. The Main Street Plaza project will transform the 7th Street parking lot into a multiple use area for events, farmers market, as well as continued parking. This project will benefit residents and tourists alike increasing the economic vitality of downtown by providing a needed event venue and public restrooms.
