Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
The Kerr Fire located 17 miles northeast of Reserve on the Gila National Forest was reported today at 175 acres. The fire is lightning-caused and started on Monday. Fire managers are managing the Kerr Fire along Forest Road 289B to FR7037N to reduce the fuel load and help restore healthy undergrowth and watershed levels. Smoke may be visible in the surrounding areas, and those hiking the CDT are advised to check in with the Reserve Ranger District Office for alternate routes.
The Freeport-McMoRan Foundation announced grant recipients of the 2017 Community Investment Fund. Eleven nonprofit organizations were awarded a total of $400,000 at an awards ceremony at the Silver City Chamber of Commerce luncheon. The 2017 Grant Recipients include: Aldo Leopold Charter School, $25,000; Community Partnership for Children, $45,000; Mimbres Region Arts Council, $16,500; Opportunity High School, $80,000; Silver Consolidated Schools, $53,000; Harrison Schmitt Elementary, $38,500; Silver City Museum Society, $5,000; Southwest Center for Health Innovation, $40,000; Imagination Library of Grant County, $17,000; Tow of Silver City and County of Grant Event Coordinator, $50,000; and the Women’s Economic Self-Sufficiency Team, Corp, $30,000.
The Town of Silver City has selected a new chief for the Silver City Fire Department. Current Silver City Fire Marshall Milo Lambert was selected above two other candidates, and will serve both positions until a replacement Marshall can be found and trained.
U.S. Senator Tom Udall on Wednesday announced that the National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities each are on track to receive an additional $1.9 million in funding over last year as part of a bipartisan agreement to fund the government through September 2017.
During Tuesday’s Central Arizona Project Entity meeting, a number of alternatives were discussed after the plan to divert the Gila River was derailed last month. One potential project could involve utilizing existing Freeport McMoRan infrastructure to divert water from Bill Evans Lake and across the continental divide to recharge the Mimbres Aquifer or be piped to Deming.
