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Local News

  • Officer crashes in Sapello

    A state police officer crashed his patrol unit Monday morning on the bridge in Sapello on N.M. Highway 518, state police Capt. Toby Dolan said.

    Sgt. Carlos Mendoza damaged his car and a guardrail when he lost control of his car as it slipped on black ice, Dolan said.

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  • 16 named to West's all-state choir

    Every year, the list of West Las Vegas students selected to compete at the all-state level in choir grows bigger.

    In 2003, Karliz DeMarco was the only student to compete in the prestigious event; this year, 16 students were selected.

    “This is the most students ever to make all-state in school history,” music director David Arnell Arellanes said. “West Las Vegas has more men selected than any other school class A through AAAAA, and Christopher Yee has made history by being the first student in choir to make all-state four years in a row.”

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  • State lawmakers give advice to City Council

    The city of Las Vegas should hire a lobbyist to help it get more money from the state government, a state lawmaker advised local officials last week.

    State Rep. Richard Vigil, D-Ribera, said the city should have its lobbyist all year long, not just during legislative sessions.

    He said a lobbyist could be especially helpful between annual sessions. That’s when interim committees meet and their members could really gain an understanding of the city’s needs, he said.

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  • BREAKING NEWS: School officials may be charged

    A prosecutor is considering filing charges against school officials in connection with alleged assaults of players during a Robertson High School football camp in August.

    Santa Fe District Attorney Henry Valdez, who is handling the assault cases, said this morning that he may file charges within the next couple of weeks. He said his office is looking at the actions of school officials, including the coaches.

    He said they had a duty under state law to report child abuse if they knew about it.

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  • Women's groups meet in Vegas

    The community has one womens club, but it had many others in town recently.

    The Las Vegas Womens Club, a member of the General Federation of Womens Clubs, hosted the groups District II Convention last month at the Plaza Hotel.

    The members were taken on a historic tour of the Plaza area led by Elmo Baca of the Citizens Committee for Historic Preservation.

    Mayor Tony Marquez gave the welcome to Las Vegas at the opening ceremony, and the Rev. George Salazar of Immaculate Conception Church gave the invocation.

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  • Chamber pushing positive message

    The Las Vegas-San Miguel Chamber of Commerce says it is trying to spread the positive word about Las Vegas to the wider world. And the group is apparently trying to counteract statewide publicity surrounding the recent alleged hazing at Robertson High School.

    In a report last week, the chamber says its priorities are brochure distribution, web site development, a visitors guide, a guide for conferences and conventions, and evaluations of different approaches to billboard placement.

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  • Officials recount response to fire

    When the Las Vegas Fire Department asked for help during a recent fire, the community responded, a top fire official says.

    On Nov. 1, a fire destroyed one house in the 1100 block of Douglas Avenue and severely damaged another. A woman, Connie “Cuca” Vigil, perished in the fire, and Maria “Esther” Bartee-Ortega, has been charged with murder for allegedly starting the blaze.

    It was the first major fire in town for more than a year.

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  • Gun range closed for now

    For the time being, the city has closed its shooting range to everyone but law enforcement agencies.

    That’s because of vandalism, debris and litter, officials said. Also, some people are shooting at things such as a shack that they’re not supposed to use as targets.

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  • Many benefit from Viles scholarships

    Emiteria “Matie” Martinez Robinson Viles died 47 years ago, but the foundation she created to help orphaned children from Las Vegas, Mora, Wagon Mound and Pecos go to college celebrated its 50th anniversary in October.

    Since its inception, the foundation has awarded more than $2 million in scholarships to more than 800 students from West Las Vegas, Robertson, Mora, Pecos and Wagon Mound high schools.

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  • City says it is addressing issue of loud boom boxes

    Las Vegan Lalo Sanchez has some concerns about the city’s handling of certain issues, including boom boxes, speeding on North Gonzales Street and parking on sidewalks.

    Last week, the city gave him a response.

    Sanchez has spoken at many council meetings in recent months about boom boxes in cars. At last week’s council meeting, he suggested the council ban such stereos from cars.

    “I doesn’t matter what the city ordinance is. There’s no way to control it but ban them,” he told the council.

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The Las Vegas Optic is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in San Miguel County and Las Vegas, NM, and the surrounding area.