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Opinion

  • Letter: Burglary adding to the pain

    It has not yet been a year since we lost our sister, Dana Konno.  The community has been amazing in its support and many positive remembrances of her, for which we are so grateful.

    On New Year’s Day, Dana’s home was burglarized. Along with valuables, such as jewelry and a computer, all her mementos were stolen. In addition, her identity papers and other important paperwork, credit cards etc. were taken.

  • Letter: Charter changes challenge...

    If my memory serves me, the motion to create the city charter commission was initiated by Dr. Andrew Feldman.  

    This was the night that the interim city manager Ken Garcia recommended the firing of the Utility Director George DuFour. A motion was made and approved to form a charter commission to update the existing 40-year-old charter.

  • Editorial: Response to crash...

    Wendy Armijo, who heads San Miguel County’s anti-DWI program, recently told the Optic that other states have zero tolerance toward drunken driving, but New Mexico does not. Sadly, she appears to be right.

    Case in point: The alleged drunken-driving crash involving a West Las Vegas school district employee behind the wheel of a district-owned vehicle.

  • Work of Art: Stranded somewhere in...

    The first installment of Work of Art, on May 1, 2003, declared that talk certainly is not cheap. In that column I mentioned paying more than $52, to listen to a woman, who spoke flawless Spanish, tell me my close relative had been detenida at a hotel in Tijuana.

  • Letter: Stop using your credit cards

    If you have credit cards, like most of us, you’ve probably been getting mail from your card-issuing bank lately. A letter per card is what I’ve been getting during the course of a few weeks, advising me of changes they are going to make to the terms and conditions that govern the use of my card. “Adjustments,” they call it.

  • Editorial: We need a uniter

    Las Vegas Mayor Tony Marquez announced last week that he wouldn’t run for another two-year term. That took us by surprise, given that he is an ambitious, relatively young man.

    Promising to bring transparency and accountability to City Hall, Marquez came in with the support of many in the community. Indeed, this newspaper endorsed his candidacy. Perhaps the mayor really intended to keep his promises. But it didn’t work out that way.

  • As It Is: Unknowns may have a shot

    During a weekend trip to Albuquerque, I noticed a billboard that read, “Doug Turner for Governor.”

    You may be wondering, Who is Doug Turner?

    Well, he is one of the several unknowns running as Republicans for governor. Your first reaction may be that he and the others may have no chance against the well-funded establishment favorite, Lt. Gov. Diane Denish, a Democrat.

  • Letter: Jesus would vote against...

    This letter is in response to some criticism of my comments opposing public prayer in City Council meetings.

  • Year-End Editorial Thumbs

    Thumbs DOWN for ... HOMICIDES AND VIOLENCE. Three homicides in a single year — 10 in less than years — is a lot for a town the size of Las Vegas. In fact, it’s murder rate akin to Detroit’s, a big city with tremendous problems. So what’s causing it here?

    We could speculate as to the causes — and there are many, we surmise — but let’s hope the anti-crime task force that Mayor Tony Marquez is putting together will provide the kind of insights that will help us address this continuing tragedy in 2010.

  • A farewell column: Moving on

    By the time you read this, I will no longer be employed by the Optic.

    There’s no rancor on either side; it’s a corporate downsizing thing, and in this respect, I’m another casualty of the recession — I’ve got plenty of company in that, nationwide.

    On the upside, I had no idea when I hired on that I would be with the Optic this long.

  • Letter: Father assaulted, nothing...

    It troubles me that the New Mexico State Police in Las Vegas can take its time to complete and investigate an assault. (As of this writing) it has been over 12 days since my 75-year-old father was assaulted by two brothers in their 20s and yet my father is the victim and the two brothers, who assaulted him, are free.

  • Letter: Lujan visits are...

    These so-called visits with the citizens in Las Vegas by our new (hopefully one-term) Congressman Ben Ray Lujan are fake and only intended to make Mr. Lujan appear interested in what we have to say. He has held only one public town hall meeting — immediately after he was elected. Now, he comes to town and only meets with selected citizens (like George Bush used to do) or with those folks who happen to hear about it weeks ahead of time and make an appointment to speak to him for five minutes in private. Does he think he is the Pope or what?

  • Work of Art: That would be nice ...

    With 2010 coming up, we wonder what changes we can expect. And if there are changes, which ones and to what extent?

    People don’t feel too concerned over the nice, even round number that 2010 will represent, nothing like when nature’s odometer turned from 1999 to 2000, or Year Two Thousand.

  • Editorial: Wishes for New Year

    For the last several years, the Optic has presented its New Year’s wishes for our community. Next year, our community will experience its share of progress and setbacks. We can’t predict them, but we have our hopes for 2010:

  • Letter: Council right to reject...

    The City Council has unanimously rejected a proposal by Mayor Tony Marquez to open each meeting with an invocation, and rightfully so. There is no legal basis for including prayer at public meetings; there is, in fact, a legal basis to prohibit it.  Thankfully the City Council has the good sense to reject this second attempt to inject religion into the public square.

  • As It Is: Ignorance may be an excuse

    Ignorance of the law is no excuse — or so the authorities like to tell us. But I think ignorance may be a good excuse in Las Vegas.

    After all, we don’t have easy access to the ordinances that govern us.

    Many cities have ordinances available at their libraries or city halls. Not Las Vegas.

    Some municipalities actually have their laws online. Not Las Vegas.

  • Letter: Boxing tourney helps the...

    I’m just writing to thank and praise Mr. Carlos Crespin and New Mexico State Silver Gloves committee for bringing the tournament to Las Vegas. Not only does it bring the up and rising boxing stars to the community but it also gives Las Vegas a little economic boost right before the holidays. Families from around the state and from out of state get to travel to Las Vegas and enjoy the amenities.

  • Letter: Optic negative about Las...

    I understand the editorial (titled “Blaming the messenger”). However the Optic, on occasion, does seem to be very negative about Las Vegas in its coverage and editorials. For folks who read the paper because they visit Las Vegas, it does not come across as friendly. Especially if the paper and visits to town are the only way we interact with the citizens of Las Vegas.

  • Editorial: Let's heal the...

    When it comes to economic development, Las Vegas needs to put forward a united front. Anything less is unacceptable.

    Recently, the Las Vegas First Independent Business Alliance told the city Lodgers Tax Advisory Board that it is interested in vying for the city contract held by the Las Vegas-San Miguel Chamber of Commerce. It made arguments about how it could take on that role — its marketing plan in place, its relationships with various agencies, its securing of discounted rates for the placement of advertisements.

  • Editorial: A good proposal

    Luna Community College has suffered its share of allegations involving sexual harassment over the years.

    Now the college is proposing a policy in which any employee who witnesses harassment is required to report it to the proper officials. No excuses.

    This would be an important step for Luna to show that it takes harassment seriously. It would turn the page from an unfortunate history.

    We hope the Board of Trustees approves this proposed policy change.