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The Lithia Motors of Santa Fe automobile sales and service center in Las Vegas is now in operation on North Seventh Street.  Lithia Motors, Inc., is one of America’s largest automotive retailers featuring most domestic and import franchises.  Their stores serve urban and rural populations throughout the Western and Midwest United States.

J.D. Vasquez a career educator and administrator with the Las Vegas City Schools, died over the weekend.  Since the Monday Optic hit the streets before the weekend, notice of services for Mr. Vasquez will not appear in time.  So here is the scoop.  There will be graveside service for Mr. Vasquez at the Masonic Cemetery Monday morning at 10 a.m. and a memorial service and lunch starting at 1 p.m. at the First United Presbyterian Church of Las Vegas, 1000 Douglas Ave. 

Down 28-zip at halftime, and despite 25 penalties totaling 232 yards, the Highlands U Cowboys beat the Eastern New Mexico Greyhounds, 43-36, in Portales. What a heckuva football game!

J. Proctor ran the winning 2-yard touchdown during sudden-death overtime, and a total 143 yards running. Cordell Nugent made 12 tackles, 2 sacks. Had the 'Pokes not made twice as many penalties as ENMU, the game would've been somewhat different.

HU's total offense was 460 yards; 306 rushing, 154 passing, with one forced fumble.

Historian Marcus Gottschalk will be give a discussion on why Las Vegas, from a commercial and cultural perspective, was the most important town in the American Southwest between 1858-1886.

The talk, sponsored by the End of the Trail chapter of the Santa Fe Trail Association, is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the Eldorado Community Center. Gottschalk, author of Pioneer Merchants of Las Vegas, will talk about the Plaza district and Railtown district pioneer merchants, such Miguel Antonio Otero, Charles Ilfeld and the Rosenwald brothers.