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Local News

  • Council rejects draft budget

    For days, City Manager Sharon Caballero and others at City Hall pored over every line item of the city’s proposed budget, worked the numbers and projected revenue for the next year.

    They even put up a “War Room” sign on the door outside the office that became budget central.

    On Friday night, the City Council unanimously rejected the budget. So it’s back to the drawing boards for city officials and the Albuquerque-based accounting firm the city hired to help with the effort.

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  • Biker bash ends with raffle

    The third annual Rough Rider Motorcycle Rally ended Sunday afternoon with Las Vegas native Robert Arellanes jumping for joy after holding the last and winning ticket in the custom chopper motorcycle raffle.

    Local bike artisan Bennie Gallegos built the $30,000 motorcycle.

    “I don’t know how to feel or what to say. I feel awesome. This is the first time in my life I’ve ever won anything. God blessed me, God blessed me,” Arellanes said.

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  • Springer woman dies in accident

    A Springer woman was killed while riding on a motorcycle late Friday afternoon.

    Antonia Bernal, 59, was on the motorcycle behind Steven J. Duran, also of Springer. The accident happened just as Las Vegas’ annual Rough Rider Motorcycle Rally was beginning.

    Bernal died shortly after the crash.

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  • Suspect's attorney plans to fight murder charge

    An attorney for a man accused of killing another at a local bar says he plans to fight prosecutors’ efforts to pursue an open count of murder against his client.

    Last October, Michael Esquibel, 28, of San Juan Pueblo, N.M., was charged with an open count of murder, attempt to commit murder and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

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  • Plaza Park to be event central

    The third annual Rough Rider Motorcycle rally begins today, as bikers from around the area converge on the Plaza.

    The rally kicked off this morning with a blood drive at the Railroad Depot. Members of the Las Vegas community as well as visitors to town were invited to donate blood in the spirit of the original Rough Riders’ camaraderie.

    Plaza Park will be event central, with 30 vendors offering fun fair-type foods as well as booths selling motorcycle-related goods such as leathers, sunglasses, and bling, organizers said.

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  • District studying policy for fundraising

    The Las Vegas City Schools board tabled action on a protocol for students at risk and a new fundraising policy, so the new administration would have time to study the issues before decisions are made.

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  • Luna director back at work

    Luna Community College’s vocational education director has returned to work after being placed on paid administrative leave.

    College officials confirmed this week they put Dan Romero on leave because they discovered that he failed to hold a scheduled class in Wagon Mound.

    He was slated to start holding a furniture and cabinet-making class on June 7 at Wagon Mound High School, but officials said he didn’t show up at the first class and never told his supervisors about it.

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  • Mayor creates two panels

    Mayor Tony Marquez has appointed members to two new mayoral task forces — one for the Old Town Plaza and the other for recreation.

    Marquez said in a news release that in an effort to continue cultural festivities and promote economic activity in Plaza area, he has appointed a task force made up of a cross section of business owners and group leaders of the Plaza, the film industry, the Fiestas organizers and the Rough Riders Rally.

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  • Program pushing for rides to bars

    Wendy Armijo, San Miguel County’s DWI coordinator, is not giving up on an idea that has been rejected before.

    Last year, the San Miguel County Commission turned down her proposal to provide free rides to liquor establishments as part of the county’s Safe Ride program. The commission, however, agreed to fund such rides from bars to home.

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  • It's GAIN, with pocketbook pain

    You used to hike at McAllister Lake for free. Now it will cost you.

    The state Game and Fish Department is calling it “GAIN.”

    Under GAIN — which stands for Gaining Access Into Nature — a number of popular areas for fishing, hunting and recreation have been designated as wildlife management areas.

    According to Game and Fish’s brochure on the topic, this opens these areas to new activities such as wildlife viewing, wildlife photography, opportunities accessible by hiking, bicycling, skiing, snowshoeing and horseback riding.

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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.