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November 06, 2009
Grants NM: Chamber of Commerce and Prison work to keep CCA prison for women open
Community works to keep women’s prison open
By Donald Jaramillo
Beacon publisher/managing editor
November 5, 2009
GRANTS - An emergency community relations meeting organized by the New Mexico Women's Correction Facility and supported by the Grants/Cibola County Chamber of Commerce in effort to keep the facility open was held on Nov. 5 at La Ventana Steak House. Area prisons and law enforcement agencies regularly meet monthly, however, because of the possible closure of the women's facility in Grants, this month's meeting was identified as an emergency meeting in effort to keep the women's correctional facility open.
New Mexico Secretary of Corrections Joe Williams recently announced that if Governor Bill Richardson approves and signs the proposed budget cuts, his department would be forced to close two prisons, one being the women's facility in Grants. The other prison is located in Roswell.
The facility employs approximately 150 people and its closure could make a substantial effect on the local economy. The facility currently houses 590 women and is managed by Corrections Corporation of America.
NMWCF Warden Assistant Lisa Riley said the meeting was to update the community on the possible closure and to organize efforts to fight back in order to keep the facility open. Contact numbers of area legislators were handed out at the meeting along with copies of a letter published in today's Beacon on page 4. A group is also being organized to visit the governor soon.
The budget cuts proposed were passed by the New Mexico State Legislature during the recent special session called by the governor.
For more information on the effort call the chamber at 287-4802 or the women's prison at 287-2941.
http://www.cibolabeacon.com/articles/2009/11/05/news/doc4af367fc9522e854703147.txt
Posted by lois at November 6, 2009 04:09 PM