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Local News

  • WIPP truck veers off road near Vegas

    A truck carrying defense radioactive waste headed to the Waste Isolate Pilot Plant near Carlsbad veered off the road near Las Vegas early Tuesday evening.

    The southbound truck carrying three loaded containers went off Interstate 25 near the Airport Road exit around 5 p.m. The truck was coming from Idaho.

    The truck stayed upright, and there was no damage. State police said no hazardous materials were released and that the driver claimed he had become ill and passed out. A radiation survey was conducted, and nothing was detected, officials said.

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  • Treasurer to run for another term

    Democratic San Miguel County Treasurer Alfonso Ortiz has announced that he will seek another term in that office.

    The deadline for filing is Tuesday.

    Ortiz has been in a number of elective offices, having served on the Las Vegas City Council 12 years, from 1970 to 1972, 1974 to 1978 and from 1994 to 2000. In addition, Ortiz is a former West Las Vegas school board member, also having served a term as its chairman; and he served a term as chairman of the San Miguel County Democratic Party.

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  • Three arrested on drug charges

    Three Mora County residents were arrested in an operation over the weekend, an official said.

    Mora County Sheriff Roy Cordova said the arrests occurred after a year-long investigation involving both the Sheriff’s Department and the Region 4 Narcotics Task Force, which involves area law enforcement agencies.

    Arrested were Edward Gallegos, 22; Gabriela Garcia, 21; and Kathy Montoya, in her 40s or 50s, Cordova said.

    Gallegos was charged with trafficking and Garcia and Montoya with serving as accessories, the sheriff said.

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  • City places advisory panels on hold

    The city of Las Vegas has put its advisory committees on hold until further notice.

    Interim City Manager Elmer Martinez has sent that order in an e-mail to city department heads. Already scheduled meetings can proceed through the end of this week.

    On Monday, members of the city’s public safety advisory committee were told about the city manager’s order.

    Police Chief Gary Gold urged committee members to submit letters to the city manager’s office if they wanted to continue serving on the public safety committee.

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  • Sandoval runs for district judge

    City Attorney Matt Sandoval announced Monday that he is running for district judge.

    Sandoval, a former district attorney, said he is leaving his job at City Hall by week’s end. He said the Hatch Act would prevent him from engaging in a partisan campaign; that law applies to the federal government and entities that receive federal funds such as the city of Las Vegas.

    The only other candidate to have announced so far is District Judge Gerald Baca, who was appointed by Gov. Bill Richardson to the newly created judgeship last year. Both are running as Democrats.

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  • Man's car looks like police unit

    Jessie Vigil drives in a car marked “police.” The vehicle is painted black and white. On the top is what appears to be red and blue emergency lights.

    But Vigil is not a police officer.

    His pseudo police car has local law enforcement agencies concerned, but so far, he has not been found guilty of any crime.

    Last summer, Vigil started decorating a 2007 Mustang to look like the police car in the “Transformers” movie. He did it for his 7-year-old son, Thomas, who loves the movie.

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  • Mora Co. assessor says she'll enforce law

    Mora County Assessor Angela Romero announced last week that she would enforce a state tax law that would change the status of many properties classified for grazing, which are entitled to lower taxes.

    That decision apparently came after a meeting between state Sen. Phil Griego, D-San Jose, who represents Mora County, and state Taxation and Revenue Department officials.

    Tensions flared between Romero’s office and the state Property Tax Division last month after she asked three division employees to stop changing the values of properties.

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  • Officials say voters need privacy

    Voters had no curtains or makeshift cardboard boxes to hide their ballots as they made their choices in the city election last week, and that has two City Council members concerned.

    In previous municipal elections, voters went into booths with curtains. Most state elections now have voters make their choices in mini-cardboard booths.

    But last Tuesday, voters went to tables to vote, with it relatively easy for passersby to see their choices. At one poll site, voters were reportedly making their choices at a table next to other voters waiting in line.

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  • A change in leaders

    Mayor Tony Marquez called for unity in Las Vegas and promise to govern with citizen involvement after he was sworn in as mayor Saturday.

    With more than 100 people in the audience, Marquez and City Council members Diane Moore and Andrew Feldman took the oath of office at Highlands University’s Leveo Sanchez Lecture Hall.

    “We are moving forward as one community united — no longer East or West or Democrat or Republican, but one community as a whole,” Marquez said to applause.

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  • West leader gets $15,000 pay hike

    West Las Vegas Superintendent Jim Abreu was given a one-year extension on his contract last week, which also included a $15,000 raise from $100,000 to $115,000 a year.

    Board President Kenny Lujan said the board was unanimous in its decision.

    “We as a board felt that Dr. Abreu has done a tremendous job for the district in the 10 months he’s been on the job. He’s at work early, stays late and works hard for the school and the kids,” Lujan said.

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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.