Today's News

Despite problems and crises at every turn, right now President-elect Barack Obama has the goodwill of the majority on his side. He will enter the Oval Office in a strong position to affect significant change, in part because of the honeymoon he’s on with the public as well as the media.

But as soon as he takes office, he could strengthen his position even more — by opening up some federal doors that the Bush administration has tightly shut.

Mayor Tony Marquez last month asked the city administration to reduce the number of take-home cars and city-issued cell phones.

This week, City Manager Sharon Caballero presented a plan on how the city could achieve that goal.

However, one official said he wasn’t notified about the city’s decisions before they were announced. He said his office needs a car.

The city has 41 cell phones — 12 of which are for the Police and Fire departments. Officials agreed that none of the public safety phones should be taken away.

We, the Jackie R. Tapia family, wish to express our deep gratitude and appreciation for your love, understanding and assistance, to the following professionals who cared for and assisted him during his illness:  All doctors, nurses and staff at the Centro de Salud, Dr. Michael Lopez and staff, the technicians of the Las Vegas Emergency Ambulance Services, Rocky Mountain Ambulance Services, and the many helpful and caring staff at the Alta Vista Regional Hospital.

UP thumb ... FISCALLY SOUND. Highlands University regents were told last week that, despite the expectations of budget cuts coming with an economic slowdown, the school is “fiscally strong in all respects.” And that’s on top of findings in a recent study that Highlands’ tuition and fees for undergraduate New Mexico residents are the lowest in the West (an 11-state region).