Today's News

San Miguel County is purchasing a van to transport veterans to medical appointments, but many details still need to be hammered out.

The county has received money from the state Department of Veterans Services to buy the van. Officials are working in conjunction with local veterans groups to make the program a reality.

County Manager Les Montoya told the County Commission last week that the county would need to get money to operate the van. He said the county could provide the funding for the first year, but it would have to go to the state for money after that.

As someone who has been in the health field for over 35 years, I want to applaud all the doctors who signed the petition calling on Alta Vista Hospital to recognize its workers’ attempt to unionize. The doctors, the community and the workers all want Alta Vista to sit down at the bargain table to solve this vital need. Now is the time.

Percyne Gardener

Las Vegas

The federal government is making available billions of dollars for states and cities across the county, hoping to spur the economy with infrastructure projects.

There’s nothing a politician likes more than to get a huge infusion of money with which to play. And President Obama knows this. That’s why he warned local and state officials to spend the money wisely, and he promised to expose any wasteful spending.

Repeal of the death penalty in New Mexico marks an extraordinarily significant development in our society, on a level with extending the vote to women, abolishing legal racial segregation, or even abolishing slavery. In his speech at signing, the governor noted many strong reasons to make this change; it is not a deterrent, it’s racially and economically unfair, and the U.S. is alone among developed nations in judicial execution. But he said the strongest factor is the danger of getting it wrong and executing an innocent person.