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Today's News

  • Ex-county clerk goes back to old office

    San Miguel County Clerk Paul Maez left office on Dec. 31, but he already has a new job — in the same place he has worked the last eight years.

    Last week, the County Commission voted for County Clerk Melanie Rivera’s recommendation to hire her former boss to become supervisor of the office’s elections bureau, the job she held until becoming county clerk nearly three weeks ago.

    Maez will take only a slight reduction in pay. He used to make $50,000 a year as county clerk, but now he will make $46,173.

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  • Firm closing its doors for now

    Las Vegas’ remaining call center expects to close at month’s end, with company representatives hoping it will only be temporary.

    The latest announcement has been just another example of Las Vegas’ years-long roller-coaster ride with call centers.

    The Results-Las Vegas call center now employs 40 people, half what it had in late April.

    Carole Gonynor, Results’ human resources manager, said the center’s parent company hopes to find more clients so the center can stay in operation. She said the center is losing its three clients.

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  • LETTER: Runaway well cared for here

    We have a 17-year-old boy who ran away recently. He was picked up by your police department in Las Vegas, N.M. He wanted to come home, and the police department helped get him back to us safely. We are very grateful to all who helped in this and wish to thank someone. That was a very hard time waiting, but the way (you handled it) and the contact we had with Las Vegas PD was so helpful. Thank your city for this.

    Pat Harris

    West Monroe, La.

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  • EDITORIAL: Thumbs

    ‘GREEN AND GOLD’ TAKES ON NEW MEANING. The West Las Vegas High School environmental studies program is right on time. While the entire nation prepares to go greener, teacher Kirk Ludi is getting his students in on the action, by converting a 1970 Porsche into a battery-operated car, creating an electric bicycle and more. These are the kinds of projects that inventive young minds can really wrap themselves around — and they obviously are.

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  • Students reflect on school year

    It’s an age-old tradition — one in which both Dons and Cardinals took part last week at their schools: They scrawled messages in each other’s yearbooks.

    It was also a time to reflect on the last school year.

    West Las Vegas High School student body President Christa Lucero said, “Last year when I decided to run for president, I told myself that we were going to make sure this year was a year to remember.”

    And indeed the West Las Vegas class of 2009 had many successes — they were champions in academics, music and sports.

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  • Two City Council members seek film moratorium

    Two Las Vegas City Council members are calling for a moratorium on local movie projects until the city can change its ordinance dealing with such issues.

    They were responding to Old Town merchant Leith Johnson, who presented a petition from business people in Las Vegas’ commercial districts who are asking for additional rules placed on filming.

    Merchants are particularly irritated about the prospect of a movie production taking place during Heritage Week, which lasts from July 28 to Aug. 2 and features events celebrating local history.

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  • Man gets 10 years in sex crimes case

    A man found guilty of a sex crime has been sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    Jerry Lucero, 54, 505 Blanchard St., must also register as a sex offender for the rest of his life, according to District Court documents. He was found guilty by a jury on one count of criminal sexual contact of a minor.

    According to a state police report, a 7-year-old girl told her mother that Lucero had touched her private parts in September 2007 in a residence in the 400 block of Mountain View Drive. The mother reportedly called police right away.

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  • Activists plan forum on police

    Local activists are planning a public forum on alleged police misconduct.

    They event is being organized by Pat Leahan of the Las Vegas Peace and Justice Center, Steve Flores of the Northern New Mexico Hispano Coalition and activist Lorenzo Flores. They all spoke on KNMX last week about the forum.

    The forum is set for 1-3 p.m. Saturday at the VFW hall on Mills Avenue.

    Steve Flores said incidents of police misconduct in Las Vegas are on the rise.

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  • LETTER: Received good care at Alta Vista

    Recently I experienced being hospitalized for the first time in my life, as well as having surgery.

    This short note is to praise all the employees at Alta Vista Regional Hospital for their dedication and responsibility to providing good patient care in this community.

    The emergency room personnel was exceptional, and I was very impressed with the courteous and sincere performance of the whole staff. We are fortunate to have a group of very committed and compassionate employees at Alta Vista.

    Annette P. Clancy

    Las Vegas

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  • LETTER: Uncomfortable with the defense

    I was interested in reading about the San Miguel County attorney’s defense of the Optic — and also slightly uncomfortable.

    Although, Mr. Jesus Lopez has every right to voice his support, he does after all, represent a branch of government that the Optic is expected to question with as much enthusiasm as they question any other authority.

    The best newspapers are diligent, unbiased, and serve no one but their readers, the general public — not always telling them what they want to hear, but what they need to know.

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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.