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Today's News

  • County touts benefits of path; some residents disagree

    Some residents touted the health benefits of a path for pedestrians and bicyclists along Cinder Road. Others called it a waste of money and questioned whether it would impede community irrigation ditches.

    San Miguel County held its third public hearing last week on the proposed 1.5-mile path that it hopes to begin building soon.

    The path is part of a long-term plan to link the city’s riverwalk, which the county hopes to eventually extend all the way to the United World College in Montezuma.

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  • State plans to measure water use

    New measuring stations on the Gallinas River should give the state a better handle on how much water acequias are using, officials say.

    It’s been a slow process, but the state engineer’s office has entered agreements with 11 of 12 area Las Vegas-area acequias — community ditch organizations — to allow the installation of state-funded measuring stations to tabulate water use.

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  • LETTER: Don't give honor to a living person

    I read the Optic headlines wanting the new dorm at New Mexico Highlands University named after Sen. Pete Campos, D-Las Vegas. I applaud the regents for not wanting to name the dorm for a living person. There is one building or wing already.

    If you are going to name a building, name it for person who has passed on. Preferably an educator who was from the community and is remembered by many.

    My nomination would be Silas Lopez, NMHU alumnus, teacher, principal, superintendent. He served the community of Las Vegas for many years.

    Benito Duran

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  • East board closes the doors

    During a special noontime meeting of the Las Vegas City Schools board, members quickly called for a vote to go behind closed doors. The only item on the agenda was limited personnel matters relating to the superintendent and school matters.

    After about an hour, board members returned to public session and board President Phillip Vigil an-nounced that no action was taken, and the meeting was adjourned. None of the members would talk to the Optic about what was discussed.

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  • Several mull running for Vegas mayor

    It’s 11 months away, but a few local residents are thinking about running for mayor in next year’s municipal election.

    May-or Tony Marquez, who was elected last March, hasn’t revealed whether he would run for a second two-year term.

    Two City Council members are considering runs for mayor.

    “I’m thinking about it. I haven’t made up my mind,” Councilman Andrew Feldman said.

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  • EDITORIAL: City rightly ends lease

    Government should aim for fully open bidding processes. And the public should have a reasonable idea what it’s bidding on.

    The city of Las Vegas fell short of these standards with a grazing lease on its reservoir property in the Gallinas area last year.

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  • Three credited with saving officer’s life

    Las Vegas police Officer Clarence Romero is alive today, and he knows whom to thank for that.

    On Jan. 27, Romero had just ended his shift and arrived at the city recreation center around 6:30 a.m. to begin his workout, playing a few games of racquetball. Shortly after playing, he walked into the fitness room, where he collapsed.

    Debbie Martinez, a local registered nurse and a regular at the center, came to the rescue. She determined that Romero had no pulse and used the center’s automated external defibrillator, a device that is used to revive people.

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  • COLUMN: A lesson locally ignored

    Twenty-some-odd years ago, I received a check from General Motors that was large enough to pay off my heavily mortgaged Corrales home, buy my first Montezuma residence, purchase (ironically) a lovely new Mercedes Benz and retire a major divorce settlement debt due an ex-wife.

    The money was part of a consulting fee to me and several partners who had been providing top-level strategic and tactical operating advice to the GM CEO and his well-suited team of white, male, Ann Arbor and Lansing engineers and accountants.

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  • EDITORIAL: Thumbs

    UP thumb ... SERVICE TO VETS. San Miguel County is purchasing a van to transport veterans to medical appointments, though long-term funding is still an issue. The state Department of Veterans Services has provided the funds to buy the van, but money is still needed to pay for its ongoing operation.

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  • Audit may mean relaxed controls

    A good audit for the West Las Vegas school district is expected to help the district convince the state to relax its heightened controls, which have been in place for more than two years, officials said.

    West Las Vegas Schools business manager Doug Hendrickson distributed the 2007-08 audit opinion and findings to school board members. He said it would be an action item for the next meeting.

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