Local News

A downed power line sparked a massive wildfire 10 miles north of Pecos Thursday afternoon, threatening residences, prompting evacuations and sending thick clouds of smoke into the Las Vegas area and other communities.

Strong winds on Thursday and Friday spread the fire quickly. As of Sunday,  the Tres Lagunas Fire had already burned 7,476 acres, about 10 square miles. The Associated Press is reporting that it appears to be the largest wildfire burning in the West. As of late Saturday, there was no containment on the blaze.

By Karl Moffatt
Las Vegas Optic

A 33-year-old Ribera man is being held in the San Miguel County Detention Center on charges of stalking and using a telephone to harass women with obscene phone calls.

Jimmy Griego is being held in lieu of $5,000 cash bond on numerous counts stemming from his alleged repeated telephone calls to two local women during which he allegedly expressed his desire for them.

Authorities say there were other victims, though Griego hasn’t been charged in those other incidents.

The Associated Press

SANTA FE — Thousands of state workers are owed back pay totaling millions of dollars, New Mexico’s highest court ruled Thursday in a victory for unions representing public employees.

The state Supreme Court affirmed a Court of Appeals decision that determined about 11,000 state workers are entitled to retroactive pay increases because former Gov. Bill Richardson’s administration didn’t follow union contracts in distributing money provided by the Legislature about five years ago.

In 1963