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Local News

  • Leaders oppose Luna plan

    If Luna Community College officials thought getting approval from the state Public Education Commission for their proposed charter school was just a formality, they had a rude awakening at a hearing last week.

    While Luna Community College President Pete Campos, a number of college employees and a few parents spoke in favor of the proposed new Luna Charter Academy, just about every superintendent in northeastern New Mexico lined up against it.

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  • City seeks to solve parking problem

    The city of Las Vegas is pushing a proposal to deal with parking problems near Robertson High School.

    Residents near the school have complained that students parking near their houses are creating disturbances. Robertson officials say they have enough parking on campus, but many students still choose to park on nearby streets.

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  • East sees another decline in students

    Enrollment is down districtwide at the Las Vegas City Schools, officials said.

    Associate Superintendent LeeEtte Quintana told school board members at a recent meeting that after the third day of school, total enrollment was 1,968.

    “That is down by 122 students at this same time last year,” Quintana told the board.

    Board member Patrick Romero asked, “Where did they go?”

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  • Man accused of attacking another

    A man was so intoxicated, a Las Vegas police officer took him home, authorities said. Later, the man was arrested on charges of attacking another.

    Around 6:30 p.m. Aug. 16, state police were called to Sheridan Road to respond to the reported attack.

    The victim, Julian Weathers, told officers that when Jessie P. Atencio, 35, of Las Vegas arrived home, he asked Weathers and Weathers’ godson to get his motorcycle down the road, according to a criminal complaint filed in Magistrate Court.

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  • Panel wants council powers curtailed

    Members of a city panel say they want to curtail the powers of the mayor and City Council in the city’s new constitution, so the governing body doesn’t get out of control.

    Last week, an attorney recommended the Charter Commission think twice before being too restrictive with the council, saying such plans could backfire.

    The commission has drafted a 30-page city charter and hopes to get it before the voters in the March municipal election. The council would need to approve it first.

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  • City backs down on issue

    For six months, the city of Las Vegas denied the Optic’s requests for e-mails between City Council members and the mayor.

    The city reversed course last week. It released more than 100 pages of such e-mails.

    That was after the state attorney general’s office, in response to an Optic complaint, recommended that the city hand over the documents to the Optic.

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  • Residents near dorms complain

    Marcia Henning’s house is next to the new Highlands University dorms that opened last month. And she, like her neighbors, are unhappy with the increased traffic and noise.

    Her house is at Washington and Ninth streets, just across from the dorms, which have the capacity to house 276 students.

    “Walking on this block of Washington is now extremely hazardous to pedestrians. I’ve almost been hit twice,” she said.

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  • Cops’ stories vary on search

    Authorities have conflicting explanations about a search of a woman’s home in public housing.

    At issue is resident Bernadette Varela’s dealings with Las Vegas police on Feb. 18.

    It turns out that officers went to her home twice that day. But the Police Department’s reports say nothing about a morning search, only referring to an afternoon visit.

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  • Rash of burglaries reported in historic neighborhood

    The historic neighborhood on the east side has seen around 15 burglaries in recent weeks, says the leader of a residents’ group.

    The group has been issuing mass e-mails regularly about burglaries and other happenings in the area.

    Ron Wooten-Green, coordinator of the Historic North New Town Neighborhood Association, said most of the break-ins have been during the day.

    “The police are trying to solve them, and we’re trying to help,” Wooten-Green said.

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  • Man accused in attack

    A Buena Vista man was arrested for allegedly attacking another man and threatening to kill him.

    Norman P. DeHerrera, 45, was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated battery and concealing identity.

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