Here’s a look at today’s headlines:
The Gila National Forest Reserve Ranger District is planning district wide burns, which will include prescribed fire and burn piles, weather and fire conditions permitting. A 3,000 acre prescribed burn will take place in the area of Eckleberger/Yeguas Park, east of the Rainy Mesa Ranch. Burn piles will include Eckleberger broadcast burn 14 miles southeast of Reserve, Rancho Grande Subdivision piles seven miles southwest of Reserve, Reserve Administrative Site piles one mile west of Reserve, Negrito Fire Base Piles 20 miles southeast of Reserve, SU slash pit four miles southwest of Reserve, Five Bar Subdivision fire miles southwest of Reserve, Cruzbill Interpretive Site Piles near Cruzville Solid Waste Center, Highway Department Piles across from the Reserve Airstrip, Lower Frisco Pile across from the fire station, and Willow Creek Mesa Gilita Slash Pit one mile west of Willow Creek. Smoke may be visible in the areas where the burns are being conducted and may linger at night and early morning.
U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and U.S. Representatives Steve Pearce, Ben Ray Luján, and Michelle Lujan Grisham announced that President Obama has declared a major disaster for the state of New Mexico for the severe storms and flooding from July 27 – August 5. The declaration means the president has ordered federal aid to help state, tribal, and local recovery efforts. The first round of assistance will be available on a cost-sharing basis for damage to public infrastructure in Guadalupe, Rio Arriba, and San Miguel counties and the Pueblo of Acoma. Assistance for Bernalillo, Sandoval, and Otero counties is still being evaluated, and federal funding will also be made available on a cost-sharing basis to assist with hazard mitigation statewide.
Jonathon Wimbley was arrested and charged with reckless driving after being shot with a taser Sunday afternoon. According to the police report, a motorist flagged down a Silver City Police Officer and told him she had been cut off and nearly hit by a Red Dodge Charger. The officer found the car and initiated a traffic stop near the Wrangler Bar and Grill. According to the officer, Wimbley was uncooperative, but the officer gave him a warning and left the parking lot. Wimbley then reportedly drove behind the officer, then passed him, drove in the bike lane, and drove in both the right and left hand lanes and nearly hit the curb. The officer activated his lights and followed as Wimbley ran several stop signs and continued to drive erratically until he reached the Muir Heights dorms. More law enforcement arrived on the scene and an uncooperative Wimbley was tazed and arrested.
The Grant County Commissioners approved a proclamation naming October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month at their recent meeting. Also at the meeting, the commission heard public input regarding the essential air service recommendation to the US Department of Transportation to provide subsidized air service to Grant County Airport. Another topic of discussion was a resolution in support of the allocation of water connected to the Arizona Water Settlements Act and the identification of the Gila/San Francisco Water Commission as the Central Arizona Project entity to contract for the water, if a New Mexico Unit is constructed.
