Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
The New Mexico Interstate Stream Commission voted in a public meeting yesterday to support water conservation projects, rural communities and the environment in Southwestern New Mexico through the Arizona Water Settlement Act (AWSA). The Commission’s recommendation includes municipal water conservation, capturing and saving flood waters for future use, and effluent reuse in the Luna, Grant, Catron and Hidalgo County areas. New Mexico has no financial obligation at this time.
The New Mexico Department of Transportation District One office has placed traffic control on NM 159 near Mogollon between mile markers 12 to 23 alerting the public of this closure. This section of the roadway closes routinely during the winter months due to the rough terrain and winter conditions.
W & N Enterprises hosted its 11th annual community Thanksgiving Dinner this past Sunday. Last year, the dinner served almost 1,400 dinners. This year, the staff prepared 26 turkeys, 22 hams, and all the fixings. Assisting to cook and serve the meal were the Gaffney-Oglesby Marine Corps League 1328, Cub Scouts of Pack 930, Kiwanis, Senior Olympians, the Silver City Grant County Chamber of Commerce, and other volunteers. The Jericho singers provided entertainment.
Single Socks recently announced that it has awarded $32,450 in grants to eight Grant County anti-hunger organizations. Since the non-profit thrift store opened in 2009, it has donated over $165,000 to local food pantries, soup kitchens, schools, and other food distribution organizations that serve families in need, and this year’s is the highest donation so far. Recipients this year included the Grant County Food Pantry, St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Parish, Mobile Food Pantry, the Silver City Gospel Mission, 1st Presbyterian Churcn, Children of Grant County, Aldo Leopold High and Middle Schools, Rio Mimbres Baptist Church, and Guadalupe Montessori School.
Jessie A. Hopper Jr., 30, of Deming, pled guilty Friday morning in federal court in Las Cruces to conspiracy, kidnapping and firearms charges. The guilty plea was entered without the benefit of a plea agreement. Hopper Jr., and his codefendants, Jessie Hopper Sr., 54, and Polly Hopper, 60, also of Deming, were arrested in May on a criminal complaint charging them with kidnapping and firearms charges. The three defendants have been in federal custody since that time. He remains in custody pending his sentencing hearing, which has yet to be scheduled. At sentencing, Hopper Jr. faces a statutory maximum penalty of any term of years to life imprisonment, and a seven-year prison sentence for brandishing a firearm that must be served consecutive to any sentence imposed for the other offenses.
