Group drops effort to recall Las Vegas mayor

LAS VEGAS, N.M. (AP) — The organizer of an effort to recall Las Vegas's mayor has notified the city clerk that he is withdrawing his recall petition. The Las Vegas Optic reports (http://bit.ly/2hiMLLc ) that Manuel Martinez submitted a letter on Wednesday stating that he is no longer working to recall Mayor Tonita Gurule-Giron. The notice that Martinez is ending his recall effort comes five days before the deadline for turning in the petitions with signatures. The recall petition needed to be signed by at least 25 percent of those who voted in the March regular city election. Gurule-Giron issued a statement on Thursday welcoming the news that the recall effort was over. She had previously called the effort self-serving and not in the city's best interest.