Editor Police executed an arrest warrant this week on a man accused of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Las Vegas on two occasions in 2022. Brandon Gourd-Gallegos, 31, faces two felony charges of criminal sexual contact of a minor 13 years old or younger. The arrest warrant was originally

The New Mexico state forester is rescinding statewide fire restrictions in response to recent rains which have reduced the threat of wildfire across the state. “Late season precipitation has helped to alleviate wildfire spread,” said State Forester Laura McCarthy. “While fire restrictions are lifting, the public should continue to be

Democrat and former U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland, left, will face Republican and former Rio Rancho Mayor Gregg Hull, right, in the Nov. 3 general election contest to be New Mexico’s next governor. New Mexicans will elect a new governor on Nov. 3 for the first time in eight years.

Front page of the Sept. 24, 1919 issue of the Las Vegas Optic. That the sports which are to form a part of the program at the county fair next month are to be an exceptional character is evidenced by the personnel of the committee named by the board of

Surviving children travel to Las Vegas to attend the funeral of their estranged father, a little-known author. Arriving there, they discover that their old man’s posthumously published book has become an international best-seller. Soon they are embroiled in the legends and lore of the enchanted town. Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Still photo from pitch trailer for “Team 18” feature film. Las Vegas photographer and video producer Jim Terr can often be seen in the street or on top of his car or other unusual locations, taking photos of clouds, shadows, puddles, or anything that strikes him visually. His footage has

Dr. André García-Nuthmann, pictured here, is one of four musicians set to perform “Songs of Passion & Twilight: Canciones y Romances” this Friday, Sept. 25 at 6 p.m. at the Kennedy Gallery campus. Admission is free. An upcoming musical performance is set to feature “a whole potpourri” of genres sung

New Mexico public school students made significant gains in reading and literacy over the last year, while math showed modest gains and science remained largely stagnant since 2022, according to recently released data presented to state lawmakers on Wednesday. The New Mexico Public Education Department’s 2025-2026 school accreditation data evaluates

One man is facing burglary charges following an investigation into multiple vehicle and home burglaries, and a second man is accused of drug trafficking after investigators searched a property in Las Vegas believed to be connected to the burglaries. Prosecutors earlier this month filed drug trafficking charges against 63-year-old Alfred

Vietnam veteran Howard Kenzivich receives a quilt made by the Silver Threads of Northern New Mexico Quilt Guild and the Sewing with Silver Threads class at Luna Community College. Veterans were recognized and thanked for their service and sacrifice during a heartfelt Quilts of Valor presentation ceremony held Aug. 26

Ruby Henderson-Themis, support manager for New Mexico Highlands University’s CARES office, left, and Carmelita Sanchez, director of student wellbeing and resource support for NMHU’s General Store Food Pantry, pose at the CARES office on Sept. 17. They stand behind luminaria bags, a poster and a T-shirt designed for the “Out

Editor A former Las Vegas City Schools teacher will spend more than seven years in prison after being sentenced last week for the repeated rape of a student. Leonard Joey Romero, 30, pleaded guilty in May to one felony count of criminal sexual contact of a minor by a person

The following individuals were booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center between September 15 and 21, 2026: Sampson Halpern, APO Arrest Order. Israel S. Halpern, Bench Warrant FTA/FTP. Ronald Trujillo, Disorderly Conduct. Anthony Gold, APO Arrest Order. Deja Montano, Bench Warrant FTA/FTP (Two Counts). Leonard L. Lucero, Escape From

Front page of the Sept. 16, 1965 issue of the Las Vegas Optic. One hundred and seventy students from Catholic dioceses in Mexico are scheduled to arrive in Las Vegas by train tomorrow morning as the first enrollees for the Montezuma seminary which will be opened next week. The students

Volunteers and staff of Mora’s Collaborative Visions group take a break during a planning meeting. The Las Vegas NM Community Foundation will host a full-day workshop on nonprofit board governance on Tuesday, Sept. 29, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Room 322 of the NMHU Student Union Building. The

A man is headed to prison for trafficking narcotics in Las Vegas after accepting a plea agreement earlier this year. Adrian M. Sanchez Judge Michael Aragon on Aug. 19 sentenced 31-year-old Adrian M. Sanchez to five and a half years in prison, the maximum sentence allowed under the terms of

From Left: Mayor David Romero, Engineer Nicole Maes, Fire Chief Steven Spann, Deputy Choef Andrew Duran, Lieutenant Abel Harris, Firefighter Candidate Brayan Iturralde, Firefighter Candidate Santos Rael. August 19, 2026, marked a historic day for the Las Vegas Fire Department as Firefighter Nicole Maes tested for promotion to Engineer. After

A site located at 622 Douglas Ave. was recently purchased by the city of Las Vegas to use as its new City Hall. A centrally located City Hall may be closer to becoming a reality after a decision by Las Vegas leadership to purchase a historic Douglas Avenue property for

Sen. Ben Ray Luján, center left, meets with hospital leaders at Alta Vista Regional Hospital on Sept. 1. Supporting access to health care in rural areas of the state was the focus of Sen. Ben Ray Luján’s recent visit to Las Vegas. On Sept. 1, the U.S. senator from New

New Mexico Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland raised roughly $3.4 million between June 28, 2026, and Sept. 7, 2026, according to recent campaign filings, compared with approximately $934,000 that her Republican opponent Gregg Hull raised. Former U.S. Interior Secretary and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Deb Haaland’s latest campaign filings show she

The following individuals were booked into the San Miguel County Detention Center between September 8 and 14, 2026: Joey Dimas, APO Arrest Order. Arlene Gonzales, Breaking and Entering, Resisting, Evading or Obstructing an Officer (Arrest), Criminal Trespass (Unposted). Eugene Montano, APO Arrest Order. Richard Armijo, Criminal Trespass (Unposted). Paul Chavez,

Impresario Joe West invites audiences to experience noir terror and titillation during the four-week run of Theater of Death: Absinthe At Midnight. This selection of original one-act plays explores the thin line between creativity and insanity. The performances will be in a different town every weekend the month of October

The Mora Claims Office will permanently close on Oct. 2, but in-person help will still be available in Mora for residents affected by the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire and flooding. The closure comes as FEMA has compensated the majority of Mora claimants, paying out $1.28 billion for individual and business

Las Vegas video producers Jim Terr and Pony Vigil attended the recent New Mexico film conference, sponsored by Shoot New Mexico, celebrating the opening of The Lot film stage facility, which was converted from the old G.E. warehouses by a State film grant. Video producer Jim Terr represents several film

Front page of the Sept. 10, 1973 issue of the Las Vegas Optic. The Montezuma Hot Springs property, which was presented to the Las Vegas Y.M.C.A. through the generosity of the Santa Fe railroad some 18 months ago, has been sold to the National Bible Play society, represented in the

Surviving children travel to Las Vegas to attend the funeral of their estranged father, a little-known author. Arriving there, they discover that their old man’s posthumously published book has become an international best-seller. Soon they are embroiled in the legends and lore of the enchanted town. Tuesday, July 18, 2023

Alta Vista Regional Hospital’s Sleep Disorder Center helps patients identify and address sleep disorders that can affect their health and quality of life. A restless night can be easy to dismiss as an occasional inconvenience, but consistently poor sleep can affect far more than how tired someone feels the next