Las Vegas is officially under Stage 3 water restrictions. The city issued the order Tuesday afternoon, and it’s now in effect — no grace period, no soft launch. Between the drought bearing down on our reservoir supply and a wave of institutional upheaval at New Mexico Highlands University, this has been a heavy week for San Miguel County. Here’s everything you need to know.
Stage 3 Water Restrictions: What’s Allowed, What’s Not
The city announced the new restrictions in a public service announcement issued at 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 28. The reservoir supply pressures behind the decision have been building for a while, and the rules are specific enough that it’s worth reading closely rather than going off what you heard secondhand.
Irrigation is now limited to twice a week, and only during two windows: 6 to 7 a.m., or 8 to 9 p.m. Which day depends on your address — even-numbered addresses water on Wednesdays, odd-numbered addresses on Thursdays. Hand-watering trees, shrubs, and gardens is still allowed, up to two hours a day, but a shut-off nozzle is required.
A handful of things are banned outright: filling or topping off private swimming pools, washing vehicles at home, hosing down sidewalks or driveways, and running uncontained water features. Commercial car washes that recycle water are still permitted. Restaurants have a new rule too — drinking water is now served only on request.
If you’ve been putting off adjusting your sprinkler timer, this is the week to do it.
Four Years After the Fire: Where the Watershed Plan Stands
It’s hard to believe it’s been four years since the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire tore through the watershed above us — washing out homes, roads, and acequias, choking our water treatment plant with silt and ash, and expanding the downtown floodplain by more than 60 acres. The scars from that fire are still shaping how the city plans for water, and this week brought an update on what’s being done about it.
The city has adopted a 25-year roadmap to manage the ongoing flood risk from monsoon runoff coming down the Gallinas River watershed. Instead of treating that runoff as a problem to move downstream as fast as possible, the plan leans on green stormwater infrastructure — rain gardens, curb cuts, retention zones — to slow it down, filter it, and put it to use recharging the aquifer and feeding a healthier urban forest canopy.
The scale is bigger than it might sound. During a standard one-tenth-of-an-inch rain event, the city’s impervious surfaces alone could capture up to 3.23 million gallons of water. That’s water that used to run straight into the storm system; under this plan, it’s water that helps build the city’s green space instead.
Urban forester Kristen Sanders is leading the Forestry Division’s piece of the plan, with a goal of planting 70 climate-ready native trees every year — work that also pushes back against the spread of invasive Siberian elms. Mayor David Romero framed the initiative as a long-term investment: cooler neighborhoods, cleaner air, stronger flood protection, and a more resilient Las Vegas for the generations coming after us.
NMHU’s Presidential Search Turns Contentious
New Mexico Highlands University is going through it right now. Former President Neil Wolff was placed on paid leave in May and fired in June. This week, the Board of Regents met and voted 3-2 to launch a national presidential search using an outside firm — a decision that will make the next hire NMHU’s third president since 2023.
The Board’s preferred firms are AGB Search and Isaacson, Miller. But the vote wasn’t close to unanimous. Student Regent Grace Herrera and Regent Elaine Luna both opposed the measure, with Luna citing her fiduciary duty to verify the university’s internal budget before signing off on contracts with outside firms.
The backdrop here isn’t just one leadership change — it’s a stack of legal and institutional problems piling up at once. Wolff has filed a lawsuit alleging retaliation tied to a construction contract. A former vice president for advancement has filed a whistleblower retaliation suit. A former athletic director has filed a discrimination suit. And formal investigations are now underway from the Office of the State Auditor, the state Higher Education Department, the 4th Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and the New Mexico Department of Justice.
Whatever comes out of the search process, it’s happening under a level of scrutiny NMHU hasn’t seen in a long time.
Crime and Safety Roundup
On the public safety side: a 12-year prison sentence was handed down following a plea deal in a rape case, and a woman was arrested after allegedly striking a 14-year-old girl and resisting arrest. A more serious incident unfolded July 20, when police arrested 65-year-old Arturo R. Size following a domestic disturbance call at a Westside home. Two people were treated for severe stab wounds, and Size now faces multiple felony charges, including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The San Miguel County Detention Center’s booking logs for July 21 through 27 have also been published in full.
What’s Happening Around Meadow City
There’s a lot on the calendar this week and into August. Friday, July 31 brings Friday Al Fresco, with live music from Dickey, Cordova, Yala, and Playve from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Kids Counseling Inc. is also hosting a back-to-school event at Altavista Regional Hospital, noon to 4 p.m.
Saturday, August 1 is packed. The Ride for the Ribbon motorcycle rally supports Morgan’s Stage 4 cancer battle — registration starts at 9 a.m. at Veterans Park, with a prayer at 10:45 and kickstands up at 11, routing through Pendaries Golf Resort, the Mora Allsup’s, Midway Gas Station, and finishing at VFW Post 1547. The same day, the Wildfire Resiliency Training Center hosts the Phoenix Festival, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., free admission, with live music and conservation projects. There’s also a back-to-school backpack giveaway at the Fraternal Order of Eagles, Aerie No. 38-15, 211 Grand Avenue, 10 a.m. to noon — the child receiving supplies needs to be present. Round out the day with the Bench to Business Fair at the Elks Lodge on Collins Drive, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., or the Historic Railroad District Celebration on Railroad Avenue starting at 7 p.m.
Looking further out: the IPRA Task Force meets at the Luna Community College Auditorium August 3, 4 to 7 p.m. The joint San Miguel and Mora County Fair runs August 5 through 8 at the fairgrounds. The Game of Life Transition Conference is set for August 7 at the NMHU Ballroom, 3 to 6 p.m. And mark your calendar for early September — the fourth annual Valley of the Mills Tour hits the Cleveland Roller Mill September 5 and 6.
A few recurring ones worth keeping on your radar: the Tesoro Stillwater Farmers Market runs Sundays in Villanueva and Thursdays in Rivera. The Memory Care Alliance caregivers meeting is held the 2nd and 3rd Thursdays of the month in Room 135 of the NMHU Library. The Las Vegas Mobile Food Pantry operates the 2nd Friday of each month at Luna Community College starting at 9 a.m., until supplies run out. And the Arts Walk happens the first Friday of every month, 5 to 7 p.m., from the Plaza and Bridge Street through the railroad district.
Own a Business in Las Vegas, NM?
Whatever’s happening in the city — a new water order, a university in transition, a full calendar of community events — the businesses that show up for their customers are the ones that last. If yours isn’t listed on The Original Las Vegas directory yet, now’s a good time to fix that. Listings are free to start, with Featured placement available for $19/month.
Comments