Here’s a look at some local news:
Students from Silver City and Deming are among 65 New Mexico high schools that have formed teams to compete in the 2019-20 New Mexico Governor’s “STEM Challenge.” According to a release, the students will be competing against teams from over 30 other districts within the state. The STEM Challenge is comprised of teams of 10 students who create a prototype or model that solves a real-world problem according to this year’s theme, “Keeping the World Safer Using Technology.” New Mexico Industry employers who have partnered with the program will evaluate the groups based on their quality and demonstration of skills. Top teams will be awarded $5,000 and present their project at a statewide presentation in December at Los Lunas High School.
The Western New Mexico University Adult Education Service has received a $25,000 PNMR Foundation Power Up Grant supporting Economic Vitality. According to a release from WNMU, the funding allows WNMU Adult Education Services to offer digital literacy classes and cover the cost of high school equivalency exams for more than three dozen WNMU students. The PNM Resources Foundation seeks opportunities for engaged philanthropy through a focus on education, environmental awareness and education, economic vitality and employee engagement. Open to adults and seniors, the new digital literacy courses will run for five weeks each in both Silver City and Deming. About one fifth of the grant award will be used to pay for the high school equivalency exam for 40 WNMU students who’ve gone through the Adult Education Services program.
The lightening caused Apache Fire was reported yesterday, September 4th in the southwest slope of Apache Mountain in the Gila National Forest in Catron County, at approximately 8,500 feet elevation. The fire is located in very steep, 90-100% slope, inaccessible terrain. Due to the extremely steep terrain and the desire to minimize firefighter exposure, fire managers are assessing options to confine and contain the fire in terrain where the probability of success is high. There are currently no values at risk in the immediate fire area. This fire is highly visible from NM Hwy 12, the communities of Apache Creek, Reserve, Quemado, Pie Town, and the San Francisco Divide area.
