After going five months without a fire chief since Don Dirks resigned the position in July, Torrance County has a new head of the department. James Winham was selected from a pool of eight applicants to be the fire chief, leading a department with nine firefighters/emergency medical technicians, three Emergency Medical Service lieutenants, a deputy […]
Author Archives: Tierna Unruh-Enos
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Community Briefs
Comprehensive Plan Update The Town of Edgewood has kicked off the planning process for an update to the Town’s Comprehensive Plan. As part of the planning process, the Town’s consultant, Consensus Planning, has created a community survey that asks a wide range of questions regarding the future of Edgewood and community aspirations. The results of […]
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Best Sports Stories of 2023
During 2023, The Independent worked to restore and improve its sports coverage and it was quite a year in sports around the East Mountains and Torrance County, particularly on the high school end of things. Here is a look back on what we believe are the top sports stories of 2023. 10. Mountainair Football Team […]
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The Biggest Stories of 2023
It has been an eventful year as The Independent concludes its first year under new ownership restoring regular newspaper service to the East Mountains and Torrance County. So with the end of the year at hand, it is customary to take a look back on the previous 12 months to remember the good, bad and […]
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Mountainair BPA Heads to State
The Mountainair High School’s Business Professionals of America program cleaned up at a recent regional competition, qualifying all 22 who attended for the state competition in February. “Every single one of them placed to go to state,” said Linda Modgling, director of the program that she started at the school in the 2018-19 school year. […]
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Christmas Birding
‘Tis the season for the Audubon’s 124th Christmas Bird Count (CBC). If you are unfamiliar with CBCs, it’s the time of year birders gather all across North and South America in order to count birds.
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Winner of State License Plate Design Revealed
The New Mexico Acequia Commission has revealed the design competition winner for its 2024 specialty license plate. Along with the new design, the commission has selected the new official plate tagline: “Acequias Sangre Viva,” which translates to “Acequias Blood of Life.” The winning plate was designed by the local artist Raymond Archuleta. According to the commission, Archuleta’s […]
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“It’s a Place Where Everyone Feels Like Family”
The savory and unmistakable aroma of smoking meat filled the parking lot well outside the Ribs restaurant on a recent weekend.
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‘Fearless’ Pintos Finish as Runners Up in Bruce King Tournament
Near the end of Moriarty’s Dec. 16 loss to the Clovis Wildcats in the annual Bruce King Tournament championship, Jordan Brown sank a …
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Community Briefs
Artists Needed Bernalillo County is seeking qualified artists to help complete Phase III of its “Outposts” public art project. The county will commission five sculptures from five different artists, which will be placed at various points along Tramway, Route 66, and North Highway 14. Regional artists living in New Mexico, Oklahoma, Utah, Arizona, Colorado, and […]