THREE CANDIDATES ANNOUNCE EARLY FOR GRANT COUNTY POSITIONS

Three local candidates have already announced their candidacy for
county seats that come up for reelection in 2006.

Three elected seats within the county are up for reelection next year
including district 1 and 2 county commission seats, county assessor,
county sheriff, probate judge and magistrate judge, divisions 1 and 2.

The three early announcement include a candidate for county sheriff
and two candidates for the district 2 county commission seat.

James Koons has announced his intention to run for the seat of
sheriff and Patrick R. Peralta and Carlos Provencio have begun the
face-off for district 2 county commissioner. Currently the district 2
seat is held by Charles Kelly. Kelly has not announced his intention
to run for reelection.

Grant County Clerk Howie Morales said he expects the political races
to draw a lot of attention and added that he expects the voting
process to be smoother during the upcoming June 6 Primaries and Nov.
7 General Election.

"I am really happy with how the poll workers were able to use the new
voting machines," Morales said. "The results are much more efficient
and we will be able to put them online this year."

The filing day for county office candidates is March 21.

James Koons: Sheriff

Long-time Silver City resident James Koons has announced his
intention to run for the position of Grant County Sheriff during the
Republican Primary in June 2006.

Koons, a graduate of Silver High School and Western New Mexico
University, began his law-enforcement career in 1992 as a police
officer in Deming following is graduation from WNMU. In 1995 Koons
returned to Silver City as a deputy with the Grant County Sheriff's Department.

In 1998 he became an officer with the Silver City Police Department.
He left the post in 2001 with the rank of detective sergeant, to
start his own business, Auto Glass MD.

Koons said that among his reasons for running is a concern for the
community. He said he has repeatedly heard comments from the public
that they are not happy with the responsiveness of the Sheriff's
office and the results of the war on drugs.

"I am running for sheriff to provide quality law enforcement and
improve police services to the citizens of Grant County," Koons said.
"If elected, I guarantee the Grant County Sheriff's Department will
be responsive to the people of the county in their stated desires for
an office that will fight crime more effectively and make the county safer."

Koons said he plans to focus on the drug problem in Grant County if
elected sheriff and added that he hopes to initiate a long-term
narcotics operation that will work to bring down the drug dealers and
not just users.

"Drug-trafficking and the use of methamphetamines have reached
epidemic levels in Grant County," Koons said. "With this epidemic we
see a lot of other crimes occurring. I believe that if we focus on
this problem we will lower crime rates across the board."

Patrick R. Peralta: District 2 County Commission

Born and raised in Catron County and a resident of Grant County for
46 years, Patrick R. Peralta, has announced his candidacy for the
District 2 County Commission seat.

Peralta, a retiree from Kennicott and Phelps Dodge, now resides in
Silver Acres with his wife Connie. Peralta is a member of the
Southwest Area Workforce, vice-chairman of the New Mexico Barbary and
Cosmetology Board. He has also worked as deputy county treasurer for
Catron County and been an employee of the Forest Service.

Peralta said he has a resume that makes him a qualified candidate for
the seat of county commissioner, from understanding road maintenance
as a Forest Service employee to knowledge of fiscal management.

"I am a person that can be trusted," Peralta said. "I think I can
make a difference and I think there are some issues I can bring to the table."

Peralta said some of his top issues are the county detention center,
a more active roll by the county in literacy programs, the completion
of the Bataan Park and road maintenance.

"I would like to see a good nursing program brought to Grant County,"
he said. "A pilot nursing program with the help of the local health
care providers and universities from the southwest should be a goal
for the county."

Peralta said he has also worked as a member of the Sirolli Hiring
Committee and said he feels he is well versed on local issues.

"I feel I know about the issues as much as the county commissioners
now do," He added.

Peralta will be running during the Democratic Primary on June 6.

Carlos Provencio: District 2 County Commission

Grant County native Carlos Provencio has announced his intention to
run for the seat of District 2 county commissioner.

Provencio, a native of Hurley and current resident of Bayard, brings
a long list of accomplishments with him, including graduate cum laude
from the College of Santa Fe with a B.A. in Social Work, member of
the State Education Committee, founder of the Albuquerque Interfaith
Council, largest community based organization in the state, and
through work with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers Union in California.

Provencio said he has been asked repeatedly by fellow Grant County
residents to run for a seat as county commissioner and said if
elected he will focus on a wide array of needs in the county.

"There is a lot that can be done in the area of economic
development," Provencio said. "If we can get the county 100 percent
behind it and focus on diversity we won't have to be dependent on one
big corporation."

Provencio said that if elected he plans to focus on bringing more
economic development to rural areas.

"We have to make sure the Mimbres Valley, Hachita, Tyrone and the
mining district are included in the process," Provencio said. "I see
myself as a full-time commissioner and I will be going door-to-door
and speaking with the people in these communities."

Provencio said other items topping his list as priorities are the
county budget, roads in rural areas and working in collaboration with
the union employees when working out employee contracts.

Provencio willbe running for the District 2 county commissioner seat
during the Democratic Primary on June 6.