Local News

Las Vegas firefighters taking part in a union election Friday unanimously agreed to organize.

Of the department’s 18 firefighters, nine were eligible to vote in the election to decide whether to be represented by the International Association of Firefighters; six of them participated. The department’s other nine members couldn’t participate because they are on their year’s probation or they are supervisors.

Carol Durham, a local soup kitchen and library volunteer, will be recognized next month with a 2008 Governor’s Outstanding New Mexico Woman Award.

She was selected as one of 21 recipients from across the state. They will be honored in a ceremony May 2 in Albuquerque.

Some of the biggest challenges for economic development are abandoned, boarded-up buildings and vacant lots, an official said.

“The message that sends to potential businesses that would like to come here or start businesses here is that this is a community that cannot sustain business,” Sharon Caballero, executive director of the Las Vegas-San Miguel Economic Development Corporation, told the City Council at a recent meeting.

One of the two women accused of causing the dragging death of an 83-year-old man last year has pleaded guilty in connection with the crime.

Also, a prosecutor recently filed a pleading in District Court that indicated both women were laughing in the county jail’s booking area shortly after they were arrested.

In a hearing this week, Dolores Salazar, 19, of Albuquerque pleaded guilty to a charge of vehicular homicide as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, who, in return, dropped charges of felony murder, tampering with evidence and robbery.