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Local News

  • Jail Log - Nov. 4, 2011

    The following individuals were booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center by area law enforcement between Oct. 25 and Nov. 1:
    Fernando Pino, 38, driving on suspended/revoked driver’s license
    Gary Coca, 39, aggravated assault, felony warrant
    Laura Archuleta, 23, positive UA
    Herman Powell, 54, criminal damage to property
    Martin Gutierrez, 47, positive UA
    Mary Jane Lujan, 40, fraudulent use of credit cards
    Raymond Vigil, 25, positive UA
    Lawrence Trujillo, 31, bench warrant

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  • Group petitions EPA over air in 8 western states

    The Associated Press

    DENVER — An environmental group has petitioned the federal government to reduce air pollutants in eight western states.

    WildEarth Guardians says that by law, the Environmental Protection Agency has to designate areas as “nonattainment” areas if they violate certain air-quality standards and put them on the path to cleaning up.

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  • Ex-trustee’s wife in NM gun case pleads not guilty

    The Associated Press

    LAS CRUCES — The wife of a former Columbus village trustee indicted in connection with a smuggling ring that federal authorities say funneled hundreds of guns into Mexico pleaded not guilty Tuesday and was given a conditional release.

    The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that Gabrielle Gutierrez, 30, entered her plea before U.S. Magistrate Court Judge William P. Lynch to charges of conspiracy, two counts of making false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms and two counts of smuggling goods from the U.S.

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  • Deaths from painkiller overdose triple in decade

    The Associated Press

    NEW YORK — The number of overdose deaths from powerful painkillers more than tripled over a decade, the government reported Tuesday — a trend that a U.S. health official called an epidemic, but one that can be stopped.

    New Mexico had the highest overdose death rate (27 per 100,000) and Nebraska had the lowest (5.5). The national rate was 11.9.

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  • Patients turn to ‘navigator’

    By Amanda
    Schoenberg
    Albuquerque Journal

    ALBUQUERQUE — Like many patients with advanced cancer, Dennis Williams found himself facing questions he couldn’t ask anyone, even his family.

    Then he met Marcy Zaffron. Since April, when patients diagnosed with advanced cancer need to talk, they find Zaffron. He is the quality of life navigator at Presbyterian Healthcare Services’ Cancer Center, who works with mostly Stage IV cancer patients.

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  • In Brief - News - Nov. 4, 2011

    The Associated Press

    Projects to be part of initiative
    ALBUQUERQUE — Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says two projects in New Mexico will be included in a 50-state report outlining proposals for reconnecting Americans to the great outdoors.

    The projects include the creation of an urban national wildlife refuge on Albuquerque's southern edge at the site of the old Price's Dairy and construction of a pedestrian bridge at the Aztec Ruins National Monument in northwestern New Mexico.

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  • Gun cartel attorney choice unsettled

    The Associated Press

    LAS CRUCES — A federal judge is considering whether to allow a high-profile Albuquerque attorney to represent all four members of a Deming family accused of selling guns to Mexican cartel members.

    The Las Cruces Sun-News reports that U.S. District Court Judge Robert Brack declined to make a decision on the request Wednesday in federal court in Las Cruces but repeatedly cautioned that potential conflicts of interest could hamper attorney Sam Bregman’s defense of the family.

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  • Scarce water fuels conflict

    Editor’s note: Today, the Optic concludes its six-part series on the city’s water problems.

    Les Montoya still remembers the letter he received from the Office of the State Engineer about 25 years ago demanding that the city of Las Vegas limit the amount of water it was taking from the Gallinas River to 2,600 acre feet per year.

    The problem was that the city was using about 3,100 acre feet of water at the time.

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  • Ex-CYFD worker gets probation

    The former Children, Youth and Families Department case worker arrested in August for hosting an out-of-control, underage drinking party at her home pleaded guilty Monday to a single count of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, a fourth-degree felony.

    Justina Romero, 29, appeared before District Judge Matthew Sandoval.

    She was sentenced to 18 months of probation, in accordance with the plea deal she reached with prosecutors.

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  • A New Vision

    Loretta Abreu-Martin had a vision when she returned home to Las Vegas after being hired as the recreation director at the city’s Abe Montoya Recreation Center.

    The Meadow City native lived in Maine for several years, but soon found herself back home, bringing with her a vision.

    “I wanted to start a true recreation department,” Abreu-Martin said during a recent interview.

    Since taking the reins at the recreation center Martin has implemented several programs.

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