County Moves Forward With Emergency Ops Center Plans
Architectural drawing of preferred design option for Emergency Operations Center. Courtesy/LAC
By KIRSTEN LASKEY
Los Alamos Daily Post
kirsten@ladailypost.com
As Emergency Service Commander Beverley Simpson noted during the March 26 Los Alamos County Council meeting, “Los Alamos is not immune to disaster”.
The community has endured wildfires, floods, blizzards, hurricane-like winds and the COVID-19 outbreak. Each incident required an Emergency Operations Center (EOC), Simpson said, however, there isn’t an actual EOC facility so operations were set up in “rooms of opportunity” Read More
Dist. 43 Rep. Christine Chandler To Speak At Military Order Of The World Wars Meeting Tuesday April 16
Rep. Christine Chandler
MOWW News:
The Military Order of the World Wars (MOWW) speaker for the April 16 meeting is Rep. Christine Chandler. She is a long-time resident of Los Alamos County now serving in the New Mexico House of Representatives, District 43 (Los Alamos, Sandoval and Santa Fe). Her legislative committee assignments include House Taxation & Revenue and Judiciary.
Prior to her election to the New Mexico House, Rep. Chandler had been a two term Los Alamos County Councilor and has worked on numerous local civic boards and commissions. Before her retirement, she was a Los Alamos Read More
EM-LA & NMED To Discuss Hexavalent Chromium Independent Review At Environmental Management Cleanup Forum April 18
N3B News:
The public is invited to join EM-LA, NMED for a community meeting 5:30-7:30 p.m. MDT, April 18, 2024, at SALA Event Center.
Hosts: Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) and its contractor, Newport News Nuclear BWXT Los Alamos (N3B).
Background: This event will feature discussions and public input on the legacy environmental cleanup mission at LANL, including work to protect water quality. The community discussion and Q&A will follow short presentations by EM-LA and the New Mexico Environment Department, with an overview Read More
Knight: New Mexicans Have More To Be Thankful For This Tax Day
By PAIGE KNIGHT, MPP
Deputy Policy Director
New Mexico Voices for Children
This Tax Day we all have much to be thankful for as we consider the bounty of public goods and services that are made possible with our tax dollars. These include a school system that offers a free education to every child, the roads and other transportation infrastructure that make it possible for us to move about our cities and state, the first responders who keep our communities safe, no- or low-cost health care coverage for a majority of New Mexicans, our plentiful parks, libraries, museums, and so much more.
This year, Read More
Los Alamos County Council Presents Earth Day Proclamation
Los Alamos County Councilor Randall Ryti presents a proclamation during Tuesday’s Council meeting to, from left, Department of Public Utilities (DPU) Representative Abbey Hayward, County Sustainability Manager Angelica Gurule, DPU Representative Cathy D’Anna and Pajarito Environmental Education Center Representative Beth Cortright, designating Monday, April 22 as ‘Earth Day’ in Los Alamos County and Saturday, April 20 as the ‘Earth Day Festival’ at the Los Alamos Nature Center. Courtesy/LAC
Staff Report:
On behalf of the Los Alamos County Council during Tuesday’s Council meeting, Read More
Los Alamos County Nuisance Code Review Implementation Task Force To Meet Friday April 12
COUNTY News:
The next meeting for the Los Alamos County Nuisance Code Review Implementation Task Force is 10 a.m. Friday, April 12 in Room 110 at the County Municipal Building, 1000 Central Ave.
The meeting is open to the public.
The meeting is held in person however, members of the public wishing to attend and /or provide public comment may do so in person or via Zoom.
Click here to join the webinar. Read More
Higher Education Department Partners With CYFD To Award Student Debt Relief To 133 Employees
HED News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Higher Education Department (HED), in collaboration with the New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department (CYFD), has awarded college debt relief to 133 CYFD employees via its CYFD Worker Loan Repayment Program.
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham approved $432,000 for the program for the coming year, which aims to alleviate financial burdens and promote career advancement opportunities for professionals committed to serving New Mexico’s children and families at CYFD. With an average debt load of $33,000 per participant, the assistance significantly Read More
Postponed: Diamond Drive Guardrail Repair Project
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County Traffic and Streets has postponed the Diamond Drive guardrail repair project that involves a lane closure until further notice.
The materials needed for this project have been delayed.
The County will issue and update once the project is scheduled to resume.
For questions regarding this project, contact Streets Superintendent Daniel Campos at 505.500.7321. Read More
League’s ‘Lunch With A Leader’ To Feature JJAB Executive Director Rachel Mohr-Richards April 18
JJAB Executive Director Rachel Mohr-Richards
LWV News:
The League of Women Voters’ (LWV) community event, “Lunch with a Leader” is set for noon to 1 p.m., April 18 at the Unitarian Church. This is also the LWV annual meeting for League members, which will follow the speaker’s presentation.
Juvenile Justice Advisory Board (JJAB) Executive Director Rachel Mohr-Richards is this month’s speaker. JJAB is a nonprofit organization that funds 15 programs for youth and their families in Los Alamos.
Mohr-Richards was born and raised in Jackson, Mich., where she met her husband Andrew. They moved Read More
DPU Proposed Solar Rule Changes Heading To BPU
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos, New Mexico— The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is proposing changes to Rule E-5 under its rules and regulations. Rule E-5 covers standards for interconnection of customer-owned rooftop photovoltaic (PV) systems.
This item will be presented to the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) for approval 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 17. DPU is community owned and all BPU meetings are open to the public, who may attend remotely on Zoom or in person in Council Chambers at the Los Alamos County Municipal Building, 1000 Central Ave. Agendas are available online at ladpu.com/BPUMeetings Read More
JEC Chairman Martin Heinrich On March Jobs Report
Sen. Martin Heinrich
JEC News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Sen. Martin Heinrich, (D-NM), Chairman of the U.S. Congress Joint Economic Committee (JEC), released the following statement today after the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reported that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 303,000 in March and the unemployment rate ticked down to 3.8 percent.
The unemployment rate was 6.4 percent for Black workers, 4.5 percent for Hispanic workers, 3.4 percent for white workers, 2.5 percent for Asian workers, and 3.9 percent (not seasonally adjusted) for American Indian and Alaska Native workers. Read More
BLM Seeks Public Input On Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Plan
Hillside of Aguirre Spring. Courtesy/2024 Picture That Pass Photo Contest Jeffrey Roehr. Courtesy/BLM
BLM News:
LAS CRUCES — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Las Cruces District Office is seeking public input for the draft Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks National Monument Environmental Impact Statement and Resource Management Plan, which was made available today on the BLM National NEPA Register. The Monument, designated by proclamation in 2014 by President Obama, includes the Organ Mountains, Desert Peaks, and Potrillo Mountains.
The plan would provide BLM land use and resource Read More
County Council To Meet In Regular Session Tuesday April 9
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Council will meet in regular session at 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 9 in Council Chambers at the Municipal Building at 1000 Central Ave.
The meeting is open to the public.
The complete agenda packet for the meeting has been published and is available online here. Read More
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján Issues Statement Ahead Of Two-Year Anniversary Of Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire
U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján
U.S. SENATE News:
SANTA FE — Friday, U.S. Sen. Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) released the following statement ahead of the two-year anniversary of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire that devastated communities in New Mexico.
In the years since the fire, Luján and the New Mexico Delegation have delivered a total of $3.95 billion for the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire recovery.
Luján, the lead sponsor of the Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire Assistance Act, has continually pressed the federal government to move quickly and efficiently to get New Mexicans relief.
“The Hermit’s Read More
Los Alamos County P&Z Commission To Meet April 10
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Planning and Zoning Commission will meet 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 10 in Council Chambers at 1000 Central Ave.
The meeting is open to the public.
The Agenda Packet for the April 10 meeting is now available and may be accessed online at https://losalamos.legistar.com/. Read More
Republican Party Of Los Alamos Upcoming Outreach Events
By LISA SHIN
Chair
Republican Party of Los Alamos
Dear Friends:
Spring is finally here, and I look forward to more community outreach events with the warmer weather!
Congratulations to Sam Ledoux, who was elected City Councilor in Espanola! I met him several years ago as a fellow NM delegate to the RNC, and am proud of his strong campaign which focused on local issues, such as crime and drug abuse. Congratulations to Councilor David Reagor, who filed for re-election to our County Council and will keep small businesses and our public utilities central to his campaign. It is important that our Read More
Heinrich, Luján, Leger Fernández Welcome Over $227,000 For Portales Municipal Airport
Congressional News:
PORTALES — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M.) have welcomed more than $227,000 in federal funding from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to the Portales Municipal Airport (PRZ) for necessary upgrades and long-term development.
This funding was made possible through the Infrastructure Law.
“Local airports connect communities all across New Mexico to tourism, business opportunities, and commercial aviation. They also grow our local economies,” Heinrich said. “I’m proud to Read More
Governor Announces Two Judicial Appointments
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham has announced two additional judicial appointments.
Gov. Lujan Grisham selected Denise Thomas to fill the judicial vacancy at the First Judicial District Court in Santa Fe, and Timothy Rose for the vacant seat at the Tenth Judicial District Court in Tucumcari.
The appointments follow the retirement of the Honorable Judge Sylvia LaMar and the Honorable Judge Albert J. Mitchell, Jr.
Thomas’s legal career spans more than two decades. Most recently, her work has centered on representing clients in family law matters involving divorce, custody, Read More
Notice Of Completion Of Off-Site Waste Shipment For Final Disposal Added To LANL Electronic Public Reading Room
LANL News:
Per regulatory requirements, Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) announces new documents have been added to the Los Alamos Legacy Cleanup Contract Electronic Public Reading Room.
All legacy cleanup documents required to be posted after April 30, 2018, are available on the site linked above.
For legacy cleanup documents that were posted prior to April 30, 2018, please visit the LANL electronic public reading room:
- Notice of Completion of Off-Site Waste Shipment for Final Disposal, Activities 3.1.5, 3.1.8, 3.2, 3.3.4, and 4.0, Compliance Plan, Site Treatment Plan, Federal
Hunt: Senate Bill 17 A Win-Win For All New Mexicans
By JESSIE HUNT
Rio Strategies
Kudos to Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham for signing SB-17, a bill sponsored by Sen. Liz Stefanics and me during the 2024 30-day session. Kudos also to my colleagues in the House and Senate for overwhelmingly passing this bill.
All of us realized that New Mexicans across the state – rural and urban – experience one universal truth when it comes to healthcare access: It is hard to find a provider.
Since the start of COVID-19 epidemic, hospitals have had to transform operations to meet increasing demands of an aging population. Baby boomers are in their critical healthcare Read More
