After a month of delays, the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities affirms that July utility bills are being mailed. Customers in White Rock should expect to see a utility bill in their mail boxes by Monday or Tuesday. Customers in the townsite should begin to see their bills shortly thereafter.
According to Deputy Utilities Manager James Alarid, late fees have been waived for the time being until the department can get back on to a regular billing schedule. The department anticipates that by August 13 all 9,000 customer bills will have been mailed.
Coinciding with the billing software change, staff has been working through a conversion for its Los Alamos DPU App so that it points correctly to the new software while maintaining history from the previous software. For the moment, customers cannot make a payment through the app nor can they see any online activity post-July 1 on their accounts, including recent payments and account balances. It is anticipated that the Los Alamos DPU app will be fully functional again by the end of August.

Friday August 3, 2018
Los Alamos County Fair & Rodeo is August 10-12 with the parade on Saturday, August 11 at 10:00 a.m. The 2018 parade theme is “Back to your Roots”. Today is the last day to register to participate. For more information contact MainStreet Director Lauren McDaniel at (505) 661-4844.

Thursday August 2, 2018
New Mexico's tax-free holiday weekend begins today, August 3rd, and ends on Sunday, August 5th! During these 3 days certain goods can be purchased tax-free.
The 5.125% state sales tax is waived throughout New Mexico, plus you can save even more as local taxes are waived as well. Below are some of the items that will be tax-exempt for the shopping holiday:
Non-taxable items include:
• Clothing and footwear $100 or less
• School supplies such as pens, paper, and other classroom necessities $30 or less
• Computers $1,000 or less
• Various computer accessories $500 or less
Tax-free weekend offers great savings on hundreds of items, but not everything is exempt. For example, items such as sports uniforms, briefcases, headsets and digital cameras will not be exempt


Wednesday August 1, 2018
Construction activities on roadways leading to and from Los Alamos County have tested the patience of drivers. Travelers are urged to obey traffic instructions and account for traffic delays as they plan trips to and from the County.
•Work on East Jemez Road. Starting on Wednesday August 1st, work will resume on East Jemez Road. Full traffic control measures will be in effect on East Jemez Road and will be completed in approximately one week. The work will require full lane closures. A pilot car will escort traffic through the construction zone during the hours of approximately 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Please comply with signage, flagging personnel, pilot car instructions, and other traffic control measures.
•Work on NM 502. Starting on Thursday, August 2nd, full depth reconstruction work continues, moving further east (downhill) on NM502. During the morning hours westbound traffic on NM502 leading to Los Alamos County will be reduced to two lanes while east bound traffic will be reduced to one lane. During the afternoon commute west bound on NM502 will be reduced to one lane. Traffic from Main Hill road continuing on to eastbound NM 502 will be diverted to the opposite west bound travel lane to maintain traffic flow. This additional lane will provide two lanes of travel eastbound. This pattern was employed previously and proved to be a viable way to accommodate peak commute times. Signs and traffic control barriers will be in place to guide drivers through the work zone. Both eastbound lanes will merge together near the Totavi Gas Station.
•Work on NM 4. The NM 4 single-lane hairpin on-ramp at the Y interchange that takes drivers north onto Main Hill/NM502 will be closed Monday-Friday from 2PM-9PM through August 15. Drivers must seek alternative routes during this time.
Law enforcement is supporting the construction activities to ensure safety. Please be patient, courteous and safe.

Tuesday July 31, 2018
 The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) will begin bridge rehabilitation work on NM 502 at mile marker 11.00 at the Otowi Bridge between Pojoaque and Los Alamos.
Starting Monday, July 30th – NM 502 eastbound and westbound lanes will be reduced to one lane. The lane closures will be in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There will be a concrete wall barrier through the work zone. This project is scheduled to be completed end of September 2018. Motorists can expect delays during this time.
NMDOT thanks you for your patience during this bridge improvement project.
Drivers are urged to watch for workers in the area, observe traffic control signs and reduce speed to the posted speed limit. Updates on this project will be posted on the New Mexico Department of Transportation’s road advisory website, http://nmroads.com/.


Monday July 30, 2018
Officials with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) will recommend to the Board of Public Utilities a sewer rate increase to establish sufficient revenue to sustain future debt service to replace the White Rock wastewater treatment plant. The public hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, Aug. 15 at 5:30 p.m. in Council Chambers at 1000 Central Avenue, Los Alamos, NM. If approved, proposed Los Alamos Code Ordinance 02-288 will go to the County Council to be considered for adoption on September 25, 2018.
Under the proposed ordinance, the monthly service fee for all customers classes will increase from $10.27 to $11.09. In addition to the monthly service fee, the department charges a flat, fixed rate per dwelling unit to residential customers each month for collecting and treating sewage. The collection and treatment charge for single family residential customers will increase from $37.18 to $40.15. For residential customers that are not individually metered such as apartment complexes, the fixed charge per dwelling until will increase from $30.97 to $33.45.
Unlike residential customers, commercial customers are charged a variable rate for the collection and treatment of sewage based on the winter average of potable water consumed with a minimum 2,000 gallons. The proposed ordinance will increase the variable rate from $17.50 to $18.90 per 1,000 gallons.
Los Alamos citizens may provide public comment at the board meeting on Aug. 15, but also on the county’s Open Forum. Comments will be collected until Sunday, Aug. 12. All comments will be shared with the Board and County Council.

Friday July 27, 2018
The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities’ has sent out the first batch of new bills under its new billing system.
the first bills sent out Tuesday were for residents in what the department refers to as Cycles 10 and 11, which are both in White Rock, specifically Pajarito Acres and portions of La Senda Rd. She said Cycle 12, which is in the central portion of White Rock that runs along SR 4, could go out by mail today.
“We’re asking the customers living in those areas to give us a call if they’ve not received their bill within 10 days,” said Williams-Hill. “That will help us to know if there’s a problem so we can address it quickly.”
If the changeover continues to run smoothly the department could be caught up by Aug. 1.

Thursday July 26, 2018
Venado Fire Update -
Acres: 2,872
Cause: Lightning Location: Jemez Ranger District, Santa Fe National Forest
Total personnel: 318
General Information: The Santa Fe National Forest brought in Steve Millert’s Type 2 Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 to assume command of the Venado Fire at 7:00 A.M. yesterday. Team 4 will carry forward the incident strategies and objectives developed by the local Type 3 organization.
The Southwest Area Incident Management Team 4 will host a community meeting for the Venado Fire at 6:00 P.M. on Thursday, July 26, 2018, at the Jemez Springs Public Library, located at 30 Village Plaza, Jemez Springs, NM 87025. The meeting will be livestreamed on the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page for those unable to attend in-person.
the majority of firefighting resources are focused on the northern portion of the fire to keep the fire south of Forest Road (FR) 534 and west of FR 376. Scouting efforts will continue on the northern and southern sides of the fire to determine safe access routes and inform future fire suppression strategies. Very rugged country creates difficulties for firefighters to directly fight the fire in certain areas. The South end of the fire is most accessible due to the 2017 Peggy Fire burn scar area. Fire activity lessened on the eastern side along FR 376 as crews continue road prep to limit fire spread.


Wednesday July 25, 2018
Today through Thursday, during rush hour, and all day Friday, the NM 4 single-lane hairpin turn at the Y interchange that takes drivers onto Main Hill road will close for traffic safety. Drivers needing to get from White Rock/NM 4 to Los Alamos will need to go via East Jemez Road/truck route.
Construction will continue on NM 502 and drivers are asked to slow down to posted speed limits, be careful and pay attention to traffic signs and traffic patterns designed to accommodate construction and commuter needs. Rain and thunderstorms could impact the construction schedule.
Driver patterns for this week on NM 502 are as follows and continue to provide two lanes for eastbound traffic:
* Drivers from NM 4 (truck route/White Rock) will enter onto one NM 502 eastbound lane and remain there until traffic returns to its normal configuration, near the Totavi gas station.
* On Wednesday, weather permitting, work will transfer from the inner eastbound NM 502 lane to the outer lane. Drivers will shift to the inner lane.
* Eastbound drivers from Main Hill Road should simply remain in their lane, which will transfer drivers to the lane left of the concrete barrier. Workers will set orange barrels in the middle lane to separate opposing westbound traffic (toward Los Alamos).
* During peak afternoon traffic hours and all day Friday, the NM 4 single-lane hairpin turn at the Y interchange that takes drivers north onto Main Hill/502 will close.
* On Saturday, July 28, the NM 4 ramp to eastbound 502 will be closed all day. Drivers needing to go from White Rock to Santa Fe/Espanola will need to go up the Truck Route and through Los Alamos.
Morning westbound commuters on NM 502 will continue to have three open lanes for the next couple weeks. Following completion of the upper eastbound NM 502 reconstruction, work will move further east near the water tank.


Tuesday July 24, 2018
Starting Wednesday, July 25, 2018, crews will start crack sealing work in White Rock on Rover Blvd. and Meadow Lane.
This will be a mobile operation and substantial traffic disruption is not anticipated.
Working hours are expected to be 7:00am – 7:00pm Monday thru Friday and the work is expected to last no longer than 14 calendar days.
Once the work is completed on Rover Blvd. and Meadow Lane, crews will continue crack sealing in Pajarito Acres and La Senda for an additional 4 weeks.
Drivers are urged to be patient and drive safely through these work zones.

Monday July 23, 2018
Remember the full reconstruction of a section of NM 502 eastbound has begun resulting in closure of one of the eastbound lanes beginning at the bottom of Main Hill Road. Traffic will be diverted from about 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday to accommodate peak commute times. Traffic will be rerouted as follows:
* Drivers leaving Los Alamos on Main Hill/502 will shift to one of the westbound lanes on NM 502.
* Drivers using NM 4 to leave Los Alamos/White Rock will merge onto the only open eastbound lane on NM 502.
* The NM 4 single-lane hairpin turn at the Y interchange that takes drivers north onto Main Hill/502 will close during peak traffic hours.
Workers will place orange barrels in the middle of the three westbound NM 502 lanes to divide east and westbound traffic. There will be one lane open for afternoon commuters returning to Los Alamos/White Rock and one eastbound lane for morning commuters heading east.
Plan for your trip to take extra time.


Friday July 20, 2018
Work on the Supplemental Environmental Project road improvements will ramp up considerably beginning Friday impacting the NM 4/NM 502 interchange and lane configuration of NM 502.
The safety of the workers as well as the safety of residents is of utmost importance. Law enforcement support is being sought to ensure drivers obey traffic instructions and consider the safety of the construction workers. Commuters should account for traffic delays.
Construction activities could change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances. For now, traffic plans are as follows.
* At about 6 a.m. Friday and through Saturday, July 20-21, the ramp that takes eastbound drivers from Main Hill (NM 502) onto NM 4 toward White Rock will close. The ramp will reopen on Sunday.
* At about 10 a.m. on Friday, July 20, the ramp that takes westbound NM 502 drivers onto NM 4 toward White Rock will close for the day and will also be closed on Saturday, July 21. The ramp will reopen on Sunday.
Also on Friday, full reconstruction of a section of NM 502 eastbound begins resulting in closure of one of the eastbound lanes beginning at the bottom of Main Hill Road. Traffic will be diverted from about 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday to accommodate peak commute times. Traffic will be rerouted as follows:
* Drivers leaving Los Alamos on Main Hill/502 will shift to one of the westbound lanes on NM 502.
* Drivers using NM 4 to leave Los Alamos/White Rock will merge onto the only open eastbound lane on NM 502.
* The NM 4 single-lane hairpin turn at the Y interchange that takes drivers north onto Main Hill/502 will close during peak traffic hours.
Workers will place orange barrels in the middle of the three westbound NM 502 lanes to divide east and westbound traffic. There will be one lane open for afternoon commuters returning to Los Alamos/White Rock and one eastbound lane for morning commuters heading east.

Thursday July 19, 2018
Officials with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities ask customers for patience as they work through the initial steps of deploying utility bills in a new software system. The processing of utility bills has been on hold since July 1 as a planned, cautious step in moving from one billing system to another.
Los Alamos County changed its Enterprise Resource Planning software on July 1 to Munis software by Tyler Technologies, which includes the utility billing system. While the vast majority of utility billing data was converted electronically, staff with the DPU is still working on post-conversion setups, as well as entering data that could not be reliably converted. These activities need to be completed before regular monthly billing resumes.
“We do not want to send bills out until we know that the billing is correct,” stated Deputy Utilities Manager Robert Westervelt. When customers do receive their bills, they will have the full 25 days to make payments. “We anticipate that we will be ready to start billing by the end of this week." As we have indicated before, neighborhoods that were billed will be posted on facebook and DPU’s website. If customers don’t receive a bill within 10 days of that notice DPU is asking that they notify the Customer Care Center.

Wednesday July 18, 2018
Results from the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) test are now available. Students in the Los Alamos Public Schools demonstrated promising results. PARCC is one of the statewide standardized tests required by the New Mexico Secretary of Education.
The purpose of PARCC is to evaluate student achievement in mathematics and English Language Arts (ELA). This set of assessments is administered each spring to all students in grades 3-11. While this assessment yields valuable data, it is important to remember that it is one data point among many.
The PARCC results are split into five levels, with levels 4 and 5 being considered proficient and above. In the summary of the results below, we compare the percent of proficient and above students to the previous year’s results.
Overall, more grade levels saw increases in proficiency than decreases. Los Alamos Middle School had the most significant increase; LAMS not only increased the number of students who scored in the 4 and 5 levels, they also decreased the number of students scoring 1 and 2. The Math proficiency rate increased by 9% and ELA increased by 7%.

Tuesday July 17, 2018
Due to several days of higher humidity and rain, Bandelier National Monument and Valles Caldera National Preserve will lift fire restrictions, including backcountry closures, at 8:00 am on July 16, 2018. In addition, special use permittees and commercial use operators may resume their normal activities within the two National Park Service units.
“Even though the monsoons have begun, we’re still in drought conditions,” said Valles Caldera National Preserve Superintendent Jorge Silva-Bañuelos. “We ask that visitors continue to take appropriate precautions while enjoying our national parks and national forests,” he added.
While 100% contained, the area surrounding the San Antonio Fire on the preserve’s north rim remains closed to public access. Visitors to the preserve’s backcountry are reminded to be courteous and cautious of fire crews who are still patrolling the fire.

Monday July 16, 2018
Los Alamos Public Schools ranked among the top four school districts in the state for both math and English language arts proficiency based on results released Thursday by the New Mexico Public Education Department.
The results were part of the state’s Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Career (PARCC) initiative.
Los Alamos was third overall in math proficiency with a 50.1 percent rating behind Roy Municipal Schools (63.3 percent) and Des Moines Municipal Schools (57.8).
Among the 89 school districts (not including state charters), these were the only three to have PARCC Math proficiency rates of at least 50 percent.
The district finished fourth overall in English language arts proficiency with a 57.4 percent ranking behind Des Moines Municipal Schools (64.6); Cloudcroft Municipal Schools (62.0); and Melrose Public Schools (58.4).

Friday July 13, 2018
Here is the June weather summary from Los Alamos National Lab. With half the year complete, Los Alamos has continued to be significantly warmer than normal. Los Alamos and White Rock measured approximately 6 degrees above average. The mean minimum temperature in Los Alamos was 57.5 degrees, the third warmest minimum temperature on record.
Los Alamos measured 32% of normal precipitation in June, with the majority of precipitation coming from the remnants of Hurricane Bud that moved through the state from June 15 to June 17. The tropical moisture caused a lot of rain across New Mexico, but it fell over a long period of time, and thus resulted in no flash flooding across the state. The upcoming monsoon season is desperately needed due to the significant lack of rain for the year. For the year, Los Alamos is at 37% and White Rock is at 31% of normal precipitation. The climate forecast models indicate a possibly promising monsoon season. The Climate Prediction Center and the National Weather Service are predicting near to above-average temperatures and near to above-average precipitation from July to September.

Thursday July 12, 2018

School may be out for the summer yet the LAHS NJROTC cadets continue to train and learn. Five cadets attended the Area 9 West Basic Leadership Training course at Fort Bliss, TX 18-22 June. Isaac Vasquez, Alex Tuning, Colby Sapp, Jonathan Danforth, and David Kwei participated in classroom curriculum, drill training, hands-on exercises, team building, goal setting, and inspections during the five day course. Fifty-five high school Navy JROTC cadets from New Mexico and Texas participated in this citizenship and leadership development course.

Kadynce Krank and Richard Thompson completed training on Cochiti Lake during the Area 9 West Sail Academy 10-15 June. Hosted by the West Mesa High School NJROTC under the leadership of Major Mark Hendricks USMC and BMSC Kirk Nicholson USN, 116 JROTC students received training and acquired essential sailing skills in knot tying, rigging sails, weather, rules of the road, safety, and teamwork while learning to sail laser and J24 sailboats.

Wednesday July 11, 2018
Traffic engineers are reconfiguring traffic plans on NM 4 and NM 502 to improve the rush-hour commute from Los Alamos during road construction activities.
Drivers may consider using Main Hill Road to leave LANL and Los Alamos for the next couple of weeks as construction work begins between the intersection of East Jemez Road/NM 4 and NM 502. A pilot car will escort traffic between the two points during off-peak hours.
Engineers are planning today through Thursday to reconfigure lanes on 502 to ensure there are two lanes open for the afternoon commute from Los Alamos. Beginning Friday and through the weekend, a section of NM 502 East from Los Alamos will be reduced to one lane.
For the time being, some drivers are choosing to use NM 4 through Jemez to get to Albuquerque.
Federal officials are asking that drivers continue to use respect and civility. Updates on construction activities and traffic impacts will continue as work progresses over the next three months. The road improvements are part of the Supplemental Environmental Projects at LANL.

Tuesday July 10, 2018
Effective immediately, Los Alamos County will drop from Stage III to Stage I Fire Restrictions, opening the Los Alamos County Trail Network and open spaces. Northern New Mexico’s extreme drought conditions that led to Stage III Restrictions should soon see some much-needed relief with the seasonal monsoons beginning across the state. Several criteria are used to determine when to implement fire restrictions, including current and predicted weather, as well as fuel moistures. Los Alamos County Fire Department asks that everyone please continue to use extreme caution and practice fire safety.

Under Stage I Fire Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited until further notice:
• Building, maintaining, attending or using an open fire, campfire, charcoal or wood stove on all Los Alamos County lands. With the following exemptions.
• Developed campgrounds with metal grills using charcoal or propane are acceptable on North Mesa campgrounds, Camp May, Overlook Park and at any park within the Los Alamos County proper, to also include all residential property within Los Alamos County. The Los Alamos County Fire Department urges the public to take every precaution necessary on all properties to prevent a fire.
• Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
• Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
Any exemption does not absolve an individual or organization from liability or responsibility for any fire started by the exempted activity.
• Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3-feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.

Monday July 9, 2018
Due to several days of higher humidity and rain, the Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) will lift the closure order and stage 2 fire restrictions on Monday, July 9 at 8:00 a.m.
“We noticed conditions starting to improve two weeks ago when moisture levels increased due to higher humidity,” said James Melonas, forest supervisor. “The recent rain is the beginning of what we can expect to be a good monsoon season.
Northern New Mexico’s extreme drought conditions in 2018 helped create the dry conditions that led to the SFNF closure, but the monsoons are soon to remedy the drought across the state.
Forest managers use several criteria to determine when to implement or lift restrictions or closure, including fuel moistures, current and predicted weather, values at risk from wildfire, fire activity levels and available firefighting resources. Another component is public compliance.

Thursday July 5, 2018
– Superintendent Jason Lott announced today that the entire Tsankawi Unit in Bandelier will be closed to all public use on Tuesday, July 10, 2018 due to road pavement work on NM State Road 4. Since the construction work area will block access to the parking area for Tsankawi, this closure is being put into place to mitigate safety concerns for commuters, visitors and the construction workers. Tsankawi is expected to re-open on Wednesday, July 11, 2018.
As Stage III fire restrictions continue, don't forget that the Bandelier Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon, Ponderosa and Juniper Campgrounds, Frijoles Canyon from Alcove House to the Upper Falls, Frey Trail, Tyuonyi Overlook Trail, and Burnt Mesa Trail are open. All wilderness and backcountry areas within Bandelier remain closed.
Visitors are reminded that the use of a shuttle bus is required to access Frijoles Canyon from 9AM to 3PM. The shuttles can be picked up at the White Rock Visitor Center and run every 30 minutes starting at 9AM. Visitors may drive directly down into Frijoles Canyon before 9AM and after 3PM. The Bandelier Visitor Center is open from 9AM to 6PM. For more information, contact the Bandelier Visitor Center at 505-672-3861 x 517, check the website at www.nps.gov/band, or follow the park Facebook page at BandelierNPS.

Wednesday July 4, 2018
Happy Fourth of July!!

Tuesday July 3, 2018
The Los Alamos Community Services Department is hosting a FREE Community Party on July 4th from 2:00 – 5:00PM at Overlook Park.
Come out and enjoy hot dogs, cold beverages and icy treats. Play a game of ladder golf, corn hole, or giant checkers. Kids can enjoy the bounce house, and everyone can play in the sprinklers or enjoy a water balloon fight.
For additional information please contact the Recreation Division at 505-662-8170 or lacrec@lacnm.us. Find the Community Services Department on Facebook @LosAlamosCommunityServices.

Monday July 2, 2018

July 4th is traditionally a day when Americans celebrate freedom and independence.  For the eighth year, Bandelier National Monument is proud to partner with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services to host a naturalization ceremony in the park on that day.  Fifteen candidates from 12 countries will be taking the oath and becoming the newest citizens of the United States

The ceremony begins at 11:00am, behind the Bandelier Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon. The keynote speaker will be Bandelier Superintendent Jason Lott.

Members of the community help make the ceremony a success including the Rotary Club with refreshments; Alicia Solomon leading the National Anthem; the Los Alamos County Clerk, the Daughters of the American Revolution, Flowers by Gillian and Atomic City Transit. The Medicine Mountain Dancers from Santa Clara Pueblo will present pueblo dances and Dolores Toya from Jemez Pueblo, will be demonstrating pottery making. The New Mexico Wildlife Center will be bringing a bald eagle.

Members of the public are welcome to attend and perhaps take this opportunity to reaffirm their own commitments as American citizens.

Saturday June 30, 2018

Gas, water and sewer crews with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities will be excavating on the north side of Diamond Dr. between 35 and 36 Streets to identify the location of and, if possible, complete repairs to a water leak. This investigatory utility work will occur on Sat. June 30 only. Westbound traffic will be reduced to one lane at the construction zone beginning at 7:30 a.m. and restored to two lanes by evening.  Motorists can expect some delays. 

If crews are not able to complete repairs on Saturday, repair work will be scheduled in the upcoming weeks.  Drivers are urged to observe the speed limit and traffic control signs.

Friday June 29, 2018
 U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich announced that they have secured a provision in the Senate’s 2018 Farm Bill to make acequias eligible for grants and technical assistance from conservation and environmental programs through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resource Conservation Service (NRCS) to increase agricultural water efficiency and further conservation of soil, water, and other natural resources.
Acequias provide water for many small and traditional farmers in New Mexico. There are hundreds of acequia associations throughout the state. The 2018 Farm Bill grants acequias direct access to NRCS programs by expressly including them as eligible entities for NRCS programs. This cuts red tape and allows for parity with other producers.
Acequia associations are political subdivisions of the State of New Mexico, but unlike other subdivisions, they can’t levy taxes on users. Therefore, the cost of upkeep and repairs is borne by individual members of the community. Direct access to NRCS grants and technical assistance will give acequias access to needed resources to improve their farm and ranch operations and protect our natural resources.

Thursday June 28, 2018
Because of the LANL 75th Anniversary Celebration being held at Ashley Pond Park on Saturday, June 30, motorists may experience congestion and greatly reduced parking options around the downtown area of Los Alamos, including Trinity Drive and Central Avenue. The event is expected to bring several thousand LANL employees to the townsite. Central Avenue will be closed from 15th Street to Oppenheimer from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the event. Canyon Road is an option to detour around the event. Atomic City Transit will be running trolley service during the event and trolley service is available to the public at no cost.
The Aquatic Center will be open to the public with paid entrance fees on Saturday, but LANL employees with a LANL event wristband will be able to use the facility for free as part of the event, and therefore capacity crowds may be expected at the pool.
Traffic on the Main Hill Road may be heavier than usual in the late morning and late afternoon on Saturday as LANL employees living in White Rock or outside of the County travel to and from the event. Residents are advised to allow additional travel times on Saturday to account for any delays for traffic.

Wednesday June 27, 2018
Los Alamos Fire Chief Troy Hughes announced that the Fire Department has reached a decision regarding the annual Independence Day celebration sponsored by the Kiwanis Club.
“Unfortunately, the long-range forecast does not indicate that we are going to receive any significant rainfall anytime soon,” Hughes said. “Therefore, we have reached the difficult decision that we will not issue the permit that would allow the fireworks display to proceed on July 4. We continue to be at extreme fire danger conditions and the risk is too great. While we know that many will be disappointed in this announcement, our top priority has to be the safety of the public.”
Hughes said that he spoke with Kiwanis Board members this morning about his decision. Plans to have a festival prior to the display at Overlook Park - as has been the case for many years with booths, games, music and food – are also being canceled.
Hughes said that organizers for the event had been meeting with the County for the last few weeks regarding plans and had been informed early on about the possibility that the significant lack of moisture could lead to a cancelation. The 4th of July event is one of the most significant fund-raising events sponsored each year by the Kiwanis Club, and fireworks have already been purchased. They will be stored until next year.
Board members said today that this was a joint decision made in full cooperation with the fire department.
Hughes said the decision to cancel the public fireworks permit should be a serious reminder to the community that any use of fireworks can pose a serious fire risk.
The County Council passed a proclamation earlier in June banning the sale of fireworks and prohibiting the use of aerial fireworks, but Hughes said even fireworks that are designed for ground use can cause a problem if not supervised and used correctly. Because of State laws, fireworks cannot be banned completely, but Hughes said it’s up to the community to help keep Los Alamos safe.

Tuesday June 26, 2018

The Carson National Forest (CNF) will implement Stage 3 Restrictions, over most of the forest, effective Wednesday June 27, 2018 at 6:00 a.m.  Effectively immediately the Camino Real Ranger District is closed.  This immediate closure of the Camino Real District is strictly precautionary, the Sardinas Canyon Fire is not threatening structures nor is it expected to do so.  The remainder of the closure, which includes the Questa, Tres Piedras, El Rito and Canjilon District goes into effect June 27, 2018 at 6:00 A.M. This partial closure will remain in effect until the forest receives significant moisture and conditions have improved.

The Jicarilla Ranger District will remain in Stage 2 Fire Restrictions and is exempt from the forest closure.

The closure order prohibits all recreational activities on the CNF.  Campgrounds, trails and trailheads, and National Forest System roads will be closed to the general public.  County and state roads that cross Forest Service lands are not under the Forest Service’s jurisdiction and will remain open to vehicular traffic.                                                   

Monday June 25, 2018
The Department of Energy and LANS will host public tours to the Manhattan Project National Historical Park's Pajarito Site (Technical Area 18) during ScienceFest. These "behind the fence" tours will feature the Pond Cabin and Slotin Building. Tours are scheduled for the mornings of July 12 and 13. Registration for tours will begin on Friday, June 29, 2018 at 10:00 am on the Bradbury Science Museum website. Please note that there are a very limited number of slots available! Sign up early!

Friday June 22, 2018
SAN ANTONIO FIRE STATISTICS
Start Date: June 14, 2018, at 11:30 AM
Size: 416 acres
Location: Northwest area of Valles Caldera National Preserve
Cause: Lightning
Containment: 60%
San Antonio Fire Command to be Transferred Back to Valles Caldera National Preserve
 
The combination of infrared flights and firefighters walking around the majority of the fire’s perimeter using handheld GPS devices determined the San Antonio Fire’s acreage was much less than originally estimated.
The ABQ Zone Incident Management Team will transition command back to Valles Caldera National Preserve Type 4 organization tomorrow morning. As fire activity has drastically decreased, more crews are expected to demobilize.
The Valle Grande entrance station and bookstore will remain open to the public, and ranger-led tours and hikes will be offered in the park’s cabin district. All other access and activities have been suspended. NM State Route 4 is open to traffic.
A temporary flight restriction has been ordered, is in effect over the fire area, and remains in place until further notice. This restriction includes drones or unmanned aerial vehicles. Please remember that “If you fly, we can’t!” The public is reminded that Valles Caldera National Preserve and Santa Fe National Forest is still under Stage 3 Closure due to extreme fire danger, no public access is allowed.
This will be the last news update for the San Antonio Fire. For further information please contact Kimberly DeVall at (505) 412-0826 between 8:00 am and 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday or by email; Kimberly_devall@nps.gov.

Thursday June 21, 2018
Residents are still welcome to apply for a new Community Development Advisory Board. The County has extended the deadline for applications to Monday, July 9 at 5:00 p.m. The new board was created by the County Council in May and tasked with making recommendations to the Council regarding the development, implementation and enforcement of County property maintenance codes within the corporate boundaries of the County. Seven members are needed to fill the board. They will serve a three-year term. (Note: Initial membership of this Board shall be appointed by the County Council for staggered terms of three years. Three initial appointments shall expire after one year.)

Wednesday June 20, 2018
 After an underground electric line failed on June 14, affecting properties on the south side of Loma Vista, line crews with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) restored power through a temporary repair. Permanent repairs will begin Wed. June 20, under contract with Paul Parker Construction and will continue through the end of the month.
Crews will trench on the south side of Loma Vista between Los Arboles and crossing the north and southbound lanes of Oppenheimer to replace the damaged conduit and cable. Construction will occur Mon. through Fri. from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. The road will remain open; however, traffic will be restricted to one lane around the construction zone as it moves along Loma Vista and then across Oppenheimer. Driveway ingress and egress will be maintained for residents. Street parking will be prohibited on Loma Vista during construction hours. After construction is completed, a brief power outage will be scheduled to tie the new cable into the existing electric distribution system.
Officials with the DPU appreciate the patience and consideration of its customers as this emergency work proceeds.

Tuesday, June 19, 2018
Allied Tree Services, under contract with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities, will return to the Los Alamos Denver Steels neighborhood this week to trim trees from around power lines. Crews will remain in the area for approximately three to four days.
According to DPU officials, the tree trimming effort is to reduce power outages by removing branches and trees that are either too close to power lines or pose a risk of falling on power lines. Trimming trees coupled with an aggressive operation and maintenance program supports the Electric Reliability Plan (developed in 2011 and updated in 2014) to reduce the number and scope of power outages in the county.
If residents observe tree branches interfering with power lines, DPU encourages they report is to the Customer Care Center at 505-662-8333 or CustomerCare@lacnm.us. Crews will investigate and address the situation as necessary.

Monday, June 18, 2018
Yesterday’s rain aided firefighting efforts and kept the San Antonio Fire at 495 acres. The lightning-caused fire is located within the northwest area of Valles Caldera National Preserve approximately 18.6 miles away from Los Alamos. Fire activity was minimal with spots of creeping flames and smoldering timber. The historic cabin within the fire perimeter and the weather station and natural gas pipeline near the fire remain intact and unaffected by the fire.
Because of the location and elevation, smoke from the burn may be visible from all directions coming into the Jemez Mountains area. Smoke is expected to linger in neighboring communities including Los Alamos, La Cueva, Sierra Los Pinos, Jemez Springs, Ponderosa, Jemez Pueblo and areas near NM State Route 4. Communities surrounding the Jemez Mountains may also see smoke.
We greatly appreciate the support and generosity of our neighboring communities! Our wildland fire crews are well equipped and cared for. After many donation inquiries, here’s a list of suggestions.
Here are some ways you can show support for firefighters.
Creating defensible space around your home is absolutely the BEST thing you can do to help firefighters. Learn how at http://firewise.org.
Post thank you banners / signs in the community and on social media. This is a great morale booster for firefighters after a long shift!
Write thank you notes to firefighters. Drop them off at the incident command post so they can be posted or shared.
Write thank you letters to firefighters families. Put them in blank, stamped envelopes. After briefings or after shifts, firefighters can address letters to parents, kids, spouses, etc.
We Cannot Accept Clothing and Food Items
Please call 575-737-8147 or email sanantoniofire2018@gmail.com to confirm needs before collecting items or dropping off goods.

Sunday June 17, 2018
Yesterday’s rain aided firefighting efforts and kept the San Antonio Fire at 495 acres. The lightning-caused fire is located within the northwest area of Valles Caldera National Preserve. Fire activity was moderate with spots of creeping flames and smoldering timber. The historic cabin within the fire perimeter and the weather station and natural gas pipeline near the fire remain intact and unaffected by the fire.
The Albuquerque Zone Incident Management Type 3 Team spent the day planning a course of action to tackle the areas of the fire that are in steep, rough terrain and accessible only by foot. While greatly needed, the rains have made the roads to the fire slick and muddy. A reconnaissance flight is scheduled for this afternoon and will provide a more accurate fire perimeter update. The safety of over 200 fire personnel is the top priority.
Objectives: Firefighter and public safety; containment of the fire while protecting values at risk.
Restrictions: The Valle Grande entrance station and bookstore will remain open to the public, and ranger-led tours and hikes will be offered in the park’s cabin district. All other access and activities have been suspended. NM State Route 4 is open to traffic.
Closures: A temporary flight restriction has been ordered, is in effect over the fire area, and remains in place until further notice. This restriction includes drones or unmanned aerial vehicles. Please remember that “If you fly, we can’t!” The public is reminded that Valles Caldera National Preserve and Santa Fe National Forest is still under Stage 3 Closure due to extreme fire danger, no public access is allowed.
Because of the location and elevation, smoke from the burn may be visible from all directions coming into the Jemez Mountains area. Smoke is expected to linger in neighboring communities including Los Alamos, La Cueva, Sierra Los Pinos, Jemez Springs, Ponderosa, Jemez Pueblo and areas near NM State Route 4. Communities surrounding the Jemez Mountains may also see smoke.

Thursday June 14, 2018
The San Antonio Fire began earlier this afternoon on Valles Caldera National Preserve. The lightning-caused fire has burned over 100 acres in the northwest corner of the preserve. Fire crews are working on the ground and in the air to suppress the fire burning in ponderosa pine and Douglas fir stands.
Resources on scene and en route include multiple engines, one hot shot crew, air tac, helicopter, and two air tankers. A Type 3 fire team has been ordered and will assume command Friday morning.
National Park Service officials are working with the neighboring Santa Fe National Forest to ensure all resources are available to support fire suppression efforts

Wednesday June 13, 2018
Chartwells Food Services served more than 140 lunches for their inaugural day, on Monday. The FREE youth summer lunch program provides a nutritious sack lunch, drink and additional snacks Monday through Friday at Aspen Elementary School from 12pm-1:15pm.
The program serves any youth that lives in or visits Los Alamos now through August 3rd. There is no need to reserve lunches or apply to receive the free lunches. Youth serving programs or day cares may contact Chef Holsapple to make special arrangements for larger orders. The program is sponsored in part by Los Alamos Public Schools.

Tuesday June 12, 2018
Morris Pongratz, was sworn in as Councilor last night at a County Council Special Session. He was one of six applicants who submitted a letter of interest to Council to serve out the term of James Chrobocinski, who resigned last month for health reasons. His term will end Dec. 31, 2018.

Monday June 11, 2018
The National Nuclear Security Administration Friday awarded a $2.5 billion annual contract to Triad National Security LLC, a group that includes the University of California, Texas A&M and Battelle Memorial Institute to manage Los Alamos National Laboratory. University of California and Texas A&M officials said they were committed to building on seven decades of world-class research and innovation at Los Alamos. The National Nuclear Security Administration said Triad was "the best value" when all factors were considered and will provide future stability for up to 10 years if all contract options are exercised.
U.S. Sens. Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich and Congressman Ben Ray Lujan say their first concern for the management and operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory is assuring the stability of the workforce and the safety of employees and the public while the lab meets its national security mission.
The three Democrats say they’re hopeful about the prospect of the lab contracting with more local small businesses.
Lab Director Terry Wallace said that despite the change in management, the lab’s mission will remain the same and it will work with the new team to ensure a smooth transition.


Thursday June 7, 2018
The North and South Pedestrian Overpasses on Diamond Drive will be closed for a resurfacing project starting June 11, 2018 and will re-open June 25, 2018.
This project will not affect vehicle traffic, however, it will affect foot traffic.
Pedestrians wishing to cross Diamond drive should utilize the crosswalks.
For those who use the North overpass, you can cross at the Sandia Drive crosswalk.
For those who use the South overpass, you can cross at the Canyon Road crosswalk.
Please drive safely through this section as the pedestrian traffic will increase through these crosswalks.

Wednesday June 6, 2018
The unofficial primary election results for Los Alamos County are available at the county clerk’s website. Some of the notable local races include Democrat Michelle Lujan Grisham won the Democratic ballot for governor. Howie Morales won the ballot spot for lieutenant governor here in Los Alamos. Stephanie Garcia Richard won our democratic ballot for Public Lands commissioner. In the unofficial results Democratic State Representative district 43 candidate Christine Chandler beat Pete Sheehey. In the Democratic County councilor race Sarah Scott came in first , David Izraelevitz second, followed by Randell Ryti and James Robinson. On the republican side Steve pierce won for governor, Michelle Garcia Holmes Lieutenant Governor. In the Republican County Councilor race Brady burke came in first followed by Joh Bliss and Dawn Trujillo Voss. James Whitehead won the Republican nomination for sheriff.

Tuesday June 5, 2018
Today is Election day. Voting is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Municipal Bldg (Council Chambers), White Rock Town Hall, Golf Course Community Bldg, and the Betty Ehart Senior Center.
Early voting ended last Saturday. According to the Secretary of State, 1406 Democrats, 497 Republicans and 13 Libertarians have already voted in Los Alamos County.
Under state law, only voters who are registered with one of the state’s three major political parties – Democratic, Libertarian or Republican – may vote in the June Primary Election.
Interested parties can come to the Municipal Bldg at about 7:30 to wait and watch for results to be posted by the Clerk when available. The Clerk's website will be updated with results at the end of the night.

Monday June 4, 2018
Chartwells Food Services, the service provider for Los Alamos Public Schools will bring a new Summer Food Service Program(SFSP) to our community youth.
The service will provide one free lunch and snack for each student under the age of 18, with no income eligibility or need to apply. The program, provided by Los Alamos Public Schools will take place at Aspen Elementary School and is available to other youth serving programs.
Chartwells staff will be serving in the Aspen Elementary cafeteria from 12pm and 1:15pm and parents are welcome to sit with their children, while the children are eating lunch or take their brown bag to go. Food will be distributed to individual students and not parents, except through the distribution of other youth programs or day care centers.
The service will begin June 11th and continue Monday through Friday through August 3th.
The lunches will be a nutritious variation according to Holsapple. “Lunches will include milk, a meat/meat alternative, fruit, vegetable and a grain.
People are encouraged to eat on site. Aspen has lovely outdoor picnic tables and a great playground to play on before and after having lunch.
Any questions can be directed to Chef Mia Holsapple, Food Services Director, via email at Mia.Holsapple@compass-usa.com or by calling or texting her at 409-877-3911.

Friday June 1, 2018
Los Alamos County Fire Department will issue Stage III Fire Restrictions at 8:00 am on Friday June 1st, which will prohibit access to unpaved trail systems within the County. Fire Danger within the County remains very high to extreme due to drought conditions. Stage III Restrictions will remain in effect until significant moisture and conditions have improved. The decision to move forward with Stage III Fire Restrictions has been coordinated with local agencies including LANL, SF National Forest, Bandelier National Park and the Northern Pueblos Association.
The closure order prohibits access to all unpaved trails within Los Alamos County. Camp May and all unpaved trails and trail heads will be closed to the public. The only exception to this will be the Canyon Rim Trail and La Mesa Trail in Los Alamos, and paved access to Overlook Point in White Rock. The indices that LAFD uses to predict fire danger are at historic levels well before any significant moisture from the seasonal monsoons. Under current conditions, any fire could cause a catastrophic event. With such a dangerously high fire risk, the County wishes to take every precaution to protect our natural and cultural resources, and asks the public to cooperate with the new restrictions.
The following acts are prohibited under Stage III Fire Restrictions until further notice:
• Building or maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, or stove fire on public or private land. Propane grills can be used.
• Smoking. Smoking is allowed in vehicles, homes, and on paved/cleared surfaces only.
• Using fireworks, explosives or other incendiary devices in unapproved areas. Fireworks can only be used on paved/barren areas with adequate extinguishment capabilities.
• Operating a chainsaw in a forested area, or other equipment powered by an internal combustion engine, is prohibited.
• Operating or using any internal or external combustion engine in forested areas without a spark arresting device properly installed, maintained, and in effective working order.
• Welding or operating acetylene or other torch with open flame in forested areas. Permit for specific uses can be obtained.

Thursday May 31, 2018
The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) will implement a forest-wide closure order at 8:00 a.m. this Friday, June 1, 2018, prohibiting public access to the 1.6 million-acre forest. Fire danger on the SFNF remains very high to extreme due to acute drought conditions. The closure order will remain in effect until the forest receives significant moisture and conditions have improved.
The closure order prohibits all recreational activities on the SFNF. Campgrounds, trails and trailheads, and National Forest System roads will be closed to the general public. The only exception is the Rio Chama Wild and Scenic River corridor, jointly managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which will remain under Stage 2 fire restrictions. County and state roads that cross Forest Service lands are not under the Forest Service’s jurisdiction and will remain open to vehicular traffic.
The SFNF implemented Stage 2 fire restrictions on May 7 which prohibited campfires and other activities. In spite of the Stage 2 restrictions, forest law enforcement and fire prevention personnel have counted more than 120 abandoned campfires across the forest, including at least 84 over the Memorial Day weekend.
Businesses in local communities will remain open for business during the closure.
The closure order to prohibit all public access is expected to be signed Thursday prior to implementation on Friday.
Due to the continued high risk of wildfire in the region, Bandelier National Monument, Pecos National Historical Park, and Valles Caldera National Preserve will implement public closures to all backcountry areas of the parks on Friday, June 1, 2018, at 12:01 AM, pursuant to Stage III fire restrictions. However, main public areas of each national park unit will remain open. These restrictions are being put in place to help the National Park Service provide for public safety and reduce fire risk.
Bandelier National Monument will close all wilderness and backcountry areas. Areas that will remain open include the Bandelier Visitor Center in Frijoles Canyon, Ponderosa and Juniper Campgrounds, Frijoles Canyon from Alcove House to the Upper Falls, Tsankawi, Frey Trail, Tyuonyi Overlook Trail, and Burnt Mesa Trail.
The following areas of Pecos National Historical Park are closed to public use: The Civil War Battle of Glorieta Pass Hiking Trail and parking area; all closed areas, to include the Pecos River. The following park events have been cancelled; Arrowhead Pueblo tours, Saturday Civil War Walking Tours, the South Pasture Loop Hiking Event (June 2, 2018), and the summer fishing season. The Visitor Center and Ancestral Sites Trail will remain open, and rangers will continue to offer Civil War and Forked Lightning Ranch House tours.
Valles Caldera National Preserve will close access to its backcountry and suspend all fishing, equestrian, hiking, and biking activities. The Valle Grande entrance station and bookstore will remain open to the public, and ranger-led tours and hikes will be offered in the park’s cabin district.

Wednesday May 30, 2018
Today is NATIONAL SENIOR HEALTH & FITNESS DAY
Put on your sneakers. . Approximately 100,000 senior adults will participate in activities across the United States to participate in National Senior Health & Fitness Day.
Many organizations offer special events on National Senior Health & Fitness Day. Here in Los Alamos seniors can enjoy these offerings courtesy of the Community Services Department: FREE water fitness classes at the Aquatic Center. Mini-golf at East Park - rent 1st set (putter and ball), get 2nd set FREE, Get 50% off 18 holes or 9 holes of golf at the Los Alamos Golf Course or get 50% off at the Driving Range.

Tuesday May 29, 2018

Early voting is about over. This week Tuesday, May 29 through Saturday, June 2 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. you  can Vote at the Municipal Bldg (Council Chambers) or in White Rock Town Hall (139 Longview Dr in the Conference Training Rm)

If you want to vote by mail, you will need to complete an absentee application. Visit the Clerk's webpage for the application or apply on line at NMVote.org. The last day the Clerk can mail an absentee ballot is Friday, June 1.

Monday May 28, 2018
Memorial Day
Please join in the Memorial Day Celebration at 11 am at the Guaje Pines Cemetery in Los Alamos
The program is titled Service and Sacrifice
All present at the Memorial day Ceremony are cordially invited to have lunch at The American Legion Post 90 1325 Trinity Drive after the ceremony.

Friday May 25, 2018
Registered voters who are a resident of Los Alamos County are reminded that the deadline to apply for an existing vacancy on the County Council is quickly approaching. The Council is seeking Letters of Interest from those interested in filling the unexpired term of Councilor James Chrobocinski, who resigned earlier in May. His term will expire December 31, 2018. The deadline for Letters of Interest is Thursday, May 31 at 5:00 p.m.
In addition to being a registered voter and resident of Los Alamos County, the individual cannot be employed by the County. They should submit a letter of interest explaining their background, experience and why they are interested in the position, The letter should be submitted to Harry Burgess, County Manager, 1000 Central Ave, Suite 350, Los Alamos, NM 87544. It can also be e-mailed by the deadline to lacmanager@lacnm.us.
Any individual submitting a Letter of Interest must attend a special Council meeting on Monday, June 11th at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, and be prepared to respond to questions from Councilors. The Council expects to interview applicants and then make their selection that evening.

Thursday May 24, 2018
New Mexico’s 2018 National Merit Scholarship winners were recently announced, and three seniors from Los Alamos High School were among 15 high school students in the state to be chosen for the prestigious $2,500 scholarship.
The winners and their probable career fields are as follows:
Matilde Jacobson, microbiology/immunology at University of New Mexico
Phillip I. Martin, earth science at Cornell University
Benjamin W. Rees, medicine at University of North Carolina
According to the National Merit Scholarship Corporation, the winners in each state are those judged to have the strongest combination of accomplishments, skills and potential for success in rigorous college studies. The 15 New Mexico winners are among 2,500 national selectees picked from a national pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the program.
A committee of college admissions officers and high school counselors evaluated a substantial amount of information submitted by the students and their schools, including a written essay, a letter of recommendation, test scores, academic records, and contributions and leadership in school and community activities

Wednesday May 23, 2018
Tomorrow is the farmers market in the Mesa Public library parking lot. Here are some of the products that will be there. - salad mixes- arugula- spinach- chard- kale- cilantro- radishes- onions
meats- beef- yak and maybe pork
honey-eggs- beans- sage decorations- weavings- gourds-
Apple Cider- Dried apples- snowcones- tea breads- tortillas
Plants and vegetable starts, hanging plants , flowers, herbs , Tomatoe plants- native plants
Baked goods both traditional and gluten free
lavender body products & goat milk soaps
Kettle Corn, Mr. Tortas Burritos & Tacos
Sahrpening Service
There will be 2 county councilors there from 8-11 to listen to your concerns.

Tuesday May 22, 2018
The Chamber of Commerce is helping to celebrate the Grand Opening of the new L.A. Liquor. Please join us on Friday, May 25, from 2:00-6:00 p.m. with the ribbon cutting at 2:30 p.m. L.A. Liquor is located at 1650 Trinity Drive. Pizza and and other food will be served and there will be special sales available.
John Chhina and his son Ricky Chhina, who also own the local Subway, are co-owners of L.A. Liquor. They sell beer, wine and liquor as well as Indian groceries and food.

Monday May 21, 2018
Los Alamos High School sophomore Lillian Petersen took the top award in her category at the International Science and Engineering Fair in Pittsburgh, PA, on Friday, May 18.
Petersen’s project, “Predicting Food Shortages in Africa from Satellite Imagery,” won her the top placement in the Earth and Environmental Sciences category.
Including Peterson, seven LAHS students traveled to Pittsburgh to compete in the International Science Fair on May 13-18; the final results from the contest are pending.

Friday May 18, 2018
The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government is now accepting nominations for the 2018 William S. Dixon First Amendment Freedom Award. The honor recognizes the outstanding accomplishments of citizens and organizations in New Mexico who champion transparency and defend the people’s right to know the affairs of government. Award recipients will be selected by a panel of FOG directors and will be honored at the annual “Your Right to Know” Dixon Lunch on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, at the Embassy Suites in Albuquerque.
The award honors the late William S. Dixon, a First Amendment advocate and NMFOG co-founder.
Persons wishing to nominate an individual or organization are urged to visit the NMFOG website and click on Nominations for all of the requirements. The deadline for nominations is June 15, 2018. Awards categories include: business, law, education, government, media and citizen advocacy.

Thursday May 17, 2018
It's been a very busy spring at Bandelier National Monument. Shuttle service starts back up today, May 17. As well, the Bandelier Visitor Center hours will lengthen, 9AM - 6 PM, and the Los Alamos County White Rock Visitor Center hours are 8 AM - 6 PM.
The shuttles are free, have really big windows to take in the scenery along the way, and run seven days a week from tomorrow, through October 17. Starting at 9 AM, they leave the White Rock Visitor Center every half hour on weekdays and every twenty minutes on weekends. Every run stops at Juniper Campground and then proceeds to the Bandelier Visitor Center, and stops at the campground again on its way back to White Rock.
Visitors who arrive at the park before 9 AM or after 3 PM may drive into Frijoles Canyon without taking the shuttles. In addition there are exceptions for visitors with disability placards on their vehicle, those starting an overnight hike into the back country, traveling with pets, coming on park business, commercial tours and organized groups traveling in their own bus or vans.
Anyone wishing to camp in Juniper Campground can drive into the campground at any time, but then must use the shuttle to access the Visitor Center area as well.
Between 9 AM and 3 PM, the hours when most visitors are required to use the shuttle, a member of the park staff will be on duty at the Bandelier entrance station to provide information and assistance.
For more details about the shuttle service, or other information about Bandelier National Monument, contact the Bandelier Visitor Center at 505-672-3861 x 517 or visit www.nps.gov/band, on Facebook, BandelierNPS.

Tuesday May 15, 2018
University of New Mexico regents have approved a budget for fiscal year 2019 that climbs to $2.96 billion when including the main campus, Health Sciences Center and UNM’s four branch campuses. Spending on bond-funded construction projects and Legislature-approved pay raises pushed up UNM’s total budget by 1.7 percent. Health Sciences represents the bulk of the budget at $2.04 billion. The majority is the UNM Health System, including the $1.1 billion per year UNM Hospitals enterprise. The main campus accounts for $866 million. The Albuquerque Journal reports that UNM’s budget reflects a tuition increase already approved by the regents in March. Students in 2018-19 will pay 2.5 percent more across the board, plus an extra $7 per credit hour on some upper-division courses.
Monday May 14, 2018

Friday May 11, 2018
Two teams of sharp students from Los Alamos Public Schools represented New Mexico at the National Science Bowl held in Washington, D.C., on April 26-30. After winning their respective regional competitions, both teams were awarded an all-expense-paid trip to the national competition to go head-to-head with some of the best teams from around the US.
Science Bowl is a nationwide academic competition sponsored by the U.S Department of Energy that tests middle and high school students’ knowledge in all areas of science and mathematics. There were about 115 middle and high school teams that faced off in Washington, D.C., this year.
While neither LAPS team advanced beyond the round-robin portion of the tournament, being invited to the National Science Bowl in the first place is quite an honor. The Los Alamos High School students tied for 5th in their division but did not go on to the double elimination round. According to the LAHS sponsor Kathy Boerigter, the students learned what it means to be a big fish in a small pond in Los Alamos, and what the big ponds look like. “It was a great experience!” said Boerigter. “The students were good competitors.” They even bumped into an alumnus, Scott Carlsten, a 2012 graduate, working as a judge.
Although the middle school team, sponsored by Lindsey Fullop, did not win any of their matches during the round-robin portion, they played well and did not lose points due to careless penalties. Toward the end of the weekend, the middle school students competed in a Cyber Challenge activity and placed 15th out of 48 middle schools.
All of the students had a blast sightseeing around Washington, D.C., and enjoyed a bus tour of the monuments at night. Throughout the weekend, they also got to see the National Mall, the Air and Space Museum and the Natural History Museum.

Thursday May 10, 2018
UNM-LA will host the 2018 commencement ceremony at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 10 at Crossroads Bible Church.
This year, more than 100 students completed a recognized level of study at UNM-LA. This includes Associate of Arts degrees, Associate of Science degrees, Associate of Applied Science degrees, and academic Certificate programs.
Rose Sartor, who is completing her Associate of Applied Science in Robotics, has been selected as the student speaker.
Dr. Michelle Hall will deliver the Convocation Address. Dr. Hall is a geophysicist and successful businesswoman. She is the co-founder of the Café Scientifique New Mexico program and the national Teen Science Café Network and has helped to bring teen science café programs to over 120 sites across the country in 42 states.
The public is invited to attend the commencement ceremony, as well as the reception following the ceremony. For further information about UNM-Los Alamos, visit losalamos.unm.edu or call 505-662-5919.

Wednesday May 9, 2018
The Los Alamos County Council is seeking Letters of Interest from those interested in filling the unexpired term of Councilor James Chrobocinski, who resigned last week. His term will expire December 31, 2018.
Applicants must be a registered voter and resident of Los Alamos County, and cannot be employed by the County. They should submit a letter of interest explaining their background, experience and why they are interested in the position. Letters of interest must be received no later than Thursday, May 31st at 5:00 p.m. The letter should be submitted to Harry Burgess, County Manager, 1000 Central Ave, Suite 350, Los Alamos, NM 87544. It can also be e-mailed by the deadline to lacmanager@lacnm.us.
Any individual submitting a Letter of Interest must attend a special Council meeting on Monday, June 11th at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, and be prepared to respond to questions from Councilors. The Council expects to interview applicants and then make their selection that evening.

Tuesday May 8, 2018
With an increased focus on student and staff safety, the Los Alamos Public Schools and the Los Alamos Police Department are asking for your help in ensuring that every visitor reports to the Principal’s office upon arriving at school.
With the weather warming up, we have noticed more outdoor activities like going for a stroll or walking pets through school property; even these types of activities require permission to be on school grounds during class time hours, which are 7:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. All visitors are required to check in and receive a badge at the school’s front office.
While Los Alamos is a wonderful place for outdoor activities, it is important to remain conscious of the rules regarding public access to schools. In today’s changing climate of school safety, LAPS is dedicated to taking the necessary precautions to help keep our students, staff and visitors safe.

Monday May 7, 2018
Voter Registration Closes Tuesday
The County Clerk's office would like to remind residents that voter registration will end on May 8th. You must distinguish yourself as a member of one of the three major parties (Democratic, Republican, and Libertarian) to participate in the 2018 Primary Election. Questions? Call the Clerk's office at 662-8010 or stop by and see their friendly staff on the second floor of the Municipal Building.

Friday May 4, 2018
The Los Alamos High School Chess Club swept the competition by taking 1st place at the State Chess Championship on April 19-20. This is the third consecutive year the high school team has won first place in the 5A/6A category.
Chess Club members who competed at state include Donald Poston (team captain), Henry Poston, Andrei Popa-Simil, Victor Popa-Simil, Do Vo and Tim Martin. The NMAA limits the competitive team to only six players, but LAHS has close to two dozen active players in the Chess Club.
Over 150 players from all over New Mexico participated in the State Championship and the competition was tough.

Thursday May 3, 2018
The National Park Service (NPS) has temporarily closed the Old Santa Fe Trail Building, an adobe walled structure and National Historic Landmark, for stucco repairs.
The stucco repair and rehabilitation work is scheduled to begin in June 2018 and should require 12-18 months to complete. NPS staff currently working in the Old Santa Fe Trail Building will temporarily relocate to another office space in Santa Fe while the repairs take place. Historic artifacts and museum archives from the building have also been temporarily relocated and stored in appropriate facilities. The Volunteers-In-Parks program for the building has been temporarily suspended during the repairs.
Because of the upcoming relocation for building staff the facility has been closed to the public. The site will remain closed to the public and to non-official visitors during construction due to the potentially hazardous nature of the building materials and other safety concerns.
The iconic building, the largest in-use adobe office building in the United States, was constructed in the 1930’s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), a government work program that provided jobs for young, unemployed men during the Great Depression.

Wednesday May 2, 2018
Over the past few weeks, the choir and band programs at the Los Alamos Middle and High School have been busy competing in their respective state contests.
The State Choir Contest was on April 13 and 14 at V Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho where both the middle and high school choirs performed. “The overall event was full of very tough competition,” said Choir Director Jason Rutledge. The students spent a full semester preparing as well as hours outside of school. The hard work paid off, however, as LAMS Hawk Choir came in 3rd Place for the middle school category. Rutledge also directs the high school choir, who performed tremendously: LAHS Schola Cantorum came in 2nd Place for 5A and LAHS Bel Canto came in 2nd Place in the A-6A Treble Choir category.
Los Alamos Middle School Band competed in the middle school division of the State Concert Band Contest on April 19 at Volcano Vista High School in Albuquerque. The students spent a great deal of time preparing for the event, including an all day "Prep Clinic" on April 14 where they had the opportunity to work with 10 expert clinicians from all over New Mexico.
The LAHS Band also participated in the state competition and received excellent marks. This year, there were no state orchestra contests; however, students and staff are looking forward to the upcoming orchestra concert at 6 p.m. on Thursday, May 3, at the Duane Smith Auditorium.

Tuesday May 1, 2018
This is the 7pm press release for the Chicoma Fire: which started yesterday April 30.
The fire was reported the afternoon of Monday, April 30. Resources on scene include 3 engines and a 20-person hand crew. 4 air tankers are also on scene, dropping retardant on the fire. In addition, a 20-person hotshot crew is in route along with 2 more engines.
Smoke/Air Quality: Communities to the east, or northeast may be impacted by smoke because of prevailing winds. Smoke-sensitive individuals and people with respiratory or heart disease are encouraged to take precautionary measures.
Size: 20 acres
Location: Espanola Ranger District of the Santa Fe National Forest. 5 miles east of Chicoma peak and 9 miles west of Espanola.

Monday April 30, 2018
Jen Marie Phifer and Forest Good of Los Lunas High School won top honors on Tuesday at the 28th Annual New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge held at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Their project, “What’s Missing?” looks at a way to create a systematized method for finding missing pieces of data. The project has implications for the fields of accounting, logistics, and cybersecurity.
Second place went to Lillian Petersen of Los Alamos High School for her project, “Predicting Food Shortages in Africa from Satellite Imagery.” She created a tool to predict crop yields so that international aid organizations can be better prepared for humanitarian relief operations.
Elijah Pelofske of Los Alamos High School took third place with his project, “RSA-Based Primality Test.”
This year, 60 teams representing 26 schools from around the state submitted final reports. New Mexico Education Secretary Christopher Ruszkowski attended the awards ceremony and presented one of the awards to the finalists.
In addition to presenting their projects at the Laboratory, students took part in tours, talks and demonstrations with Laboratory scientists. A complete list of all winning student teams is available at the New Mexico Supercomputing Challenge website, and all final student reports are also available online.
The Supercomputing Challenge is open to any New Mexico student in grades 6 through 12. More than 200 students and teachers from schools around the state spent the school year researching scientific problems, developing sophisticated computer programs and learning about computer science with mentors from the state’s national laboratories and other organizations.
Scholarships worth more than $36,000 were awarded to students participating in the Challenge. Many other awards were also distributed ranging from random $100 gifts for finishing the academic marathon to team prizes for teamwork, research, programming prowess, and environmental impact.

Friday April 27, 2018
According to the Los Alamos Monitor, Santa Fe District Judge Gregory Shaffer said Wednesday he would issue a decision soon as to whether emails authored by Los Alamos County Council member Susan O’Leary can remain private.
Susan O’Leary appeared in court last Wednesday with her attorneys.
“The court is going to take the matter under advisement,” Schaffer said. “I’ll issue my own written opinion on the emails at issue on or before May 7.”
Albuquerque attorney A. Blair Dunn filed a lawsuit against Los Alamos County Council and Los Alamos County Records Custodian Barb Ricci June 2, 2017 on behalf of his client, Patrick Brenner. The lawsuit alleges Ricci did not fully honor a request for all emails Los Alamos County Councilors wrote to each other on May 15, 2016 Brenner was looking for emails the councilors wrote to each other on that day about an earlier email Brenner wrote to Los Alamos County Council criticizing the council’s vote to take away most of the duties of the Los Alamos County Sheriff. He also took issue with O’Leary and another councilor, James Chrobocinski being part of a political action committee trying to persuade residents to vote for the county to raise $20 million through a recreation bond sale, money that would’ve went to fund various county recreation projects if it had passed.
Brenner’s suit alleges that O’Leary did not fully comply when she refused to hand over emails she has in her private email account that also may have been about Brenner’s initial complaint to the council about the sheriff vote. When pressed for them, O’Leary hired an attorney to intervene in Brenner’s suit, asking that a judge decide on whether or not those emails should be a part of the original New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act, thus making them public record.

Thursday April 26, 2018
Due to overall dry conditions across the forest fire managers announce they will not conduct prescribed burns on the Santa Fe National Forest while in fire restrictions.
Monsoon rains forecasted in July could, however, allow fire restrictions to be lifted sometime in the summer. If that happens, and if conditions allow, prescribed burns could resume as well.
SFNF officials remind the public that the entire SFNF is currently under Stage I fire restrictions, however the public can still access and enjoy the forest. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience, SFNF officials urge everyone to practice good fire prevention.
Several criteria are used to determine when to implement fire restrictions, including fire activity levels, current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, and the availability of firefighting resources. Fire restriction criteria is routinely evaluated and restrictions could be upgraded or downgraded at any time. Therefore, forest visitors should check with the local district office in the area they plan to visit to know what level of fire restrictions are in effect.
Know before you go. Fire restrictions in New Mexico can be found at https://firerestrictions.us/nm/ and fire updates are posted on the New Mexico Fire Information website at www.nmfireinfo.com.

Wednesday April 25, 2018
Los Alamos Public Schools was recently ranked #1 in New Mexico’s Top School Districts of 2018.
According to backgroundcheck.com, the best district in the state is Los Alamos Public Schools due to being rated an “A” school district and its high graduation rate of 87%.
Ranked #2-5 in this list is Logan Municipal Schools, Rio Rancho Public Schools, Dora Consolidated Schools and Moriarty-Edgewood School District.
Backgroundchecks.org is a public safety focused organization committed to increasing public safety, community involvement, and education.

Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) is seeking residential volunteers to assist in this year’s drinking water lead and copper testing. In accordance the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Lead and Copper Rule, DPU will sample water from taps within 30 homes that meet certain requirements. The test is free to the residential volunteers.
Lead and copper can enter the water supply through plumbing materials, specifically older homes that were built with copper pipes with lead solder. DPU will test lead and copper concentrations the week of June 4, 2018 for volunteers whose homes meet the following criteria:
• Home is a single-family residence
• Home was built prior to 1983
• Home contains copper piping with lead solder
Sampling requires selected volunteers to fill a provided bottle with water from an internal faucet. DPU will pick up the water sample and have it tested at no cost to the customer volunteer. Lead and copper concentrations will be provided in July 2018 to the volunteer participants.
Interested residential customers can notify the DPU webpage of their interest and completing the on-line form. DPU will notify the selected 30 customers during the week of May 7, 2018. Questions or concerns may be directed to the DPU through the Customer Care Center at 505-662-8333 .

Tuesday April 24, 2018
On April 13-15, members of the Los Alamos High School Key Club swept the awards at the 63rd Annual Southwest District Convention in Chandler, Arizona.
The District Convention is a way to train new members and vote on the 2018-2019 board. Training sessions included topics like fundraising, service projects and ways to get other members involved. One of the biggest components of the convention, however, is recognizing members, clubs and advisors for their tremendous work throughout the year.
Over 400 key club members from West Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona attended the convention, and according to Key Club sponsor Kathy Boerigter, it is the only time the entire Southwest District comes together.
Listed below are the awards won by the LAHS Key Club:
• 1st place Single Service Project for the African Library Project
• 1st place prepared speech won by Leah Wolfsberg
• 1st place video
• 2nd place Achievement report
• 2nd place Talent show featuring Isaac Ronning and Sonya Svyatskaya
• Governor's Award for raising $1500 for Lupus with Mackenzie Rogers the Fundraising chair

Monday April 23, 2018
The community is invited to the ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially re-open the Duane W. Smith Auditorium on Thursday, April 26, at 6:00 pm. Please join us for a short ceremony followed by light refreshments.
The Duane Smith Auditorium, originally called the Civic Auditorium, was built in 1950. It stood as the main facility in which local organizations could host plays and performances due to its spacious stage and seating area. Even today, it services not only Los Alamos schools, but the entire community, from Los Alamos National Laboratory to Los Alamos Concert Association.
Approximately eight years ago, LAPS replaced the main curtain and the rigging in Duane Smith and repainted the main hall; 4 years ago, LAPS also replaced all the seating. In 2016, the district completely remodeled the music wing, adding several practice rooms, reorganizing the storage areas and updating the restrooms. At that time, LAPS also replaced the roof over the stage and re-stuccoed the flyloft on the auditorium.
During this latest set of improvements, LAPS has completely rebuilt the lobby and added a pre-concert area between the auditorium and music building. The restroom renovations include 11 fixtures in the new women’s restroom and 8 in the men’s. The entire building’s fire system was also updated, including fire sprinklers above and below the ceiling in the main hall. The lobby is now almost twice its original size, with dedicated areas for concessions and ticketing.


Friday April 20, 2018
The Los Alamos Police Department Criminal Investigations Section is investigating several residential burglaries that occurred in Los Alamos.
In the last two weeks there have been 3 residential burglaries reported that have resulted in the theft of jewelry and credit cards. These burglaries have occurred during daytime hours between 10 am and 2 pm.
Police are asking for assistance in identifying these two individuals who used stolen credit cards at an Albuquerque Target store, which were related to these burglaries. The pictures are on our facebook page KRSN AM 1490
A $150 reward per identification of each subject is being offered. Callers can remain anonymous and all calls are confidential.
Police are cautioning residents to take appropriate precautions: lock doors, leave lights on when appropriate, and be vigilant and report suspicious persons, vehicles or activities in the neighborhood.
Calls can be made to Los Alamos Crime Stoppers at 505.662.8282 or LAPD Dispatch at 505.662.8222


Thursday April 19, 2018

Bandelier announces that entrance fees will not be collected this Saturday to kick off National Park Week. The bookstore in the Visitor Center will be offering all items at a 15% discount. 

an art exhibit called The Edge Effect: re-Imagining the East Jemez Landscape will open inside the Historic Fire Lookout Tower at Bandelier National Monument. The art exhibition will be open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through May 6. This exhibit is a partnership between Bandelier National Monument and the Pajarito Environmental Education Center.

Artists Kathleen Brennan and Shawn Skabelund designed this site-specific, place-based installation inside the historic fire lookout at Bandelier National Monument as part of the East Jemez Landscape Futures project, which is a collaborative, landscape-scale approach to help guide future planning and research efforts in the severely altered landscapes of the eastern Jemez Mountains. The Edge Effect art installation will explore historical boundaries that divide the East Jemez landscape and often divide the human communities as well.

For more information on the art installation, visit www.peecnature.org. For information about the East Jemez Landscape Futures project, visit www.eastjemez.org

Wednesday April 18, 2018
On Tuesday evening, April 17th, the Los Alamos School Board adopted a $37,953,364 million operational budget for the 2018-19 school year.
The budget reflects parent, student, staff, and community priorities and is designed to meet the mission and eight focus areas in the LAPS Strategic Plan. The first three focus areas are (1) Student Well-Being, (2) Student Learning, and (3) Teacher and Staff Well-Being and Excellence.
The Board plans to provide a much needed 4.5% raise for all staff starting July 1, 2018. The total raise for LAPS staff over the last four budgets is 10%.
School Board President Jenny McCumber said: I extend sincere thanks and appreciation to our competent staff for building a balanced budget designed to meet the Strategic Plan. She also thanked the New Mexico Legislature for their hard work in passing a public education budget that increased the School Funding Formula allocation.

Tuesday  April 17, 2018

The Council will be discussing the proposed FY19 tonight starting at 6pm in Council Chambers.  Continued budget hearings are set for 23 and 24. Public comment is welcome at the start of each meeting (for the first 30 minutes.) The Finance Office has prepared a Citizen Guide with key details and overview, or, you can review the entire budget document, on the county’s administrative services page. You can Stream the budget meetings live on the county webpage or watch it on PAC-8.

Monday April 16, 2018
Thursday afternoon's small wildland canyon fire was a great reminder that everyone living or working in Los Alamos needs to be vigilant and on the look out for fires - we have already entered Stage 1 Fire Restrictions county-wide because of the dry weather and now high winds that we are experiencing. Please take time to survey your property, too, and implement defensible space measures. A few ideas: rake up pine needles, trim back tree "ladder fuels" or clean up debris that might easily catch fire around your home. Plus: have a family evacuation plan - know where you will meet up if you get separated. Prepare a "go bag" of essential items. Taking just a few preventative steps and precautions can save precious time in an urgent situation. And keeping your property clean and clear is a great help - it can give firefighters the best possible chance of saving lives and property if a wildfire does occur in Los Alamos! Finally, don't take any chance that someone else has already called in a fire - report any fire activity that you see in your travels - especially when out on the trails or in the canyons! A quick call to 911 plus rapid LAFD response time on Thursday likely averted a very serious fire situation in LA Canyon near the Ice Rink that could have grown out of control with the high winds we were experiencing. Everyone needs to help to make it successfully through another active wildfire season here in New Mexico!

Friday April 13, 2018

On Saturday, April 7th, 26 Los Alamos students participated in the State Science Fair at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. Los Alamos Public School students received 16 awards in the Junior Division, and in the Senior Division, Los Alamos High School received 32 awards.

Of the 11 LAHS students who competed in the Senior Division, seven will be moving on to the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF) in Pittsburgh, PA, where they will compete with 1,800 ISEF finalists from around the world May 13-18.

Congratulations to Lillian Petersen, Charles Straus, Karin Ebey, Xavier McTeigue, Uriah Sanchez, Gabriel Holesinger and Anna Abeyta (student observer)…..

ISEF Finalist Projects From Los Alamos:

•      Karin Ebey, “Modeling American Alligator Population Dynamics”

•      Lillian Petersen, “Predicting Food Shortages in Africa from Satellite Imagery”

•      Charles Straus, “Teaching an Artificial Intelligence with an Artificial Intelligence”

•      The team of Gabriel Holesinger, Uriah Sanchez, and Xavier McTeigue, “Hydroponic Agriculture: Individual vs Commercial”

•      Student Observer, Anna Abeyta, "Drugs, Genetics, and Cancer"

Thursday April 12, 2018
After consulting with Los Alamos National Laboratory, and in cooperation with the Santa Fe National Forest, the Los Alamos Fire Department announced this afternoon that Los Alamos County will enter into Stage I Fire Restrictions, effective immediately.
Under Stage I Fire Restrictions, the following acts are prohibited until further notice:
• Building, maintaining, attending or using an open fire, campfire, charcoal or wood stove on all Los Alamos County lands.
• Smoking is prohibited except within an enclosed vehicle or building, a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3-feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable materials.
Stage I Exemptions:
• Developed campgrounds with metal grills using charcoal or propane are acceptable on North Mesa campgrounds, Camp May, Overlook Park and at any park within the Los Alamos County proper, to also include all residential property within Los Alamos County. The Los Alamos County Fire Department urges the public to take every precaution necessary on all properties to prevent a fire.
• Persons with a written permit from the State Forestry Office (505-476-3353) or LAFD Fire Marshal’s Office (505-662-8305) that specifically authorizes the otherwise prohibited act.
• Persons using a device solely fueled by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
• Any Federal, State, or local officer or member of an organized rescue or firefighting force in the performance of an official duty.
Any exemption does not absolve an individual or organization from liability or responsibility for any fire started by the exempted activity

Wednesday April 11, 2018
 The New Mexico Department of Transportation is reminding motorists to drive safely in work zones in coordination with National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 9-13. This also serves as a reminder that road projects across the state will start ramping up as the weather warms up.
When driving through a work zone remember:
• Reduce speed.
• Put down the cell phone.
• Seek an alternate route or leave early if there will be construction.
• Look for workers, construction equipment, bicyclists, pedestrians, and other motorists.
• Be patient.

Tuesday April 10, 2018
Con Alma Health Foundation invites nonprofits that improve health in New Mexico to apply for grants to support their work. Con Alma, the state’s largest private foundation dedicated solely to health, opened its grant cycle, which includes small grants of up to $15,000 and technical assistance grants up to $10,000.
Con Alma awards grants annually to nonprofits throughout New Mexico that work toward sustainable solutions to their communities’ health challenges. Nonprofits can apply for grants starting April 9 through May 30. Last year Con Alma awarded $625,000 to nonprofits working toward a healthier New Mexico.

In a separate grant cycle, Con Alma and the Hospital Auxiliary for Los Alamos Medical Center, working together as the Northern New Mexico Health Grant Group, are accepting grant applications for nonprofits that serve Los Alamos, Rio Arriba and northern Santa Fe counties. Grants up to $15,000 are intended to address unmet health needs in the tri-county area.
For more information and applications, look up www.conalma.org.

Monday April 9, 2018
On February 27,2018, the Council formally accepted the Tourism Strategic Plan after an eight month planning process. The plan can be found at: www.losalamostourismplan.com . As part of Council’s action on February 27, 2018, the Tourism Implementation Task Force was formed and staff was directed to bring back a charter for the task force. This task force was modeled after the White Rock Master Plan Implementation committee and will provide guidance and expertise to the Council and County staff on implementation issues.
The highlights of this new Task Force are:
• Task Force is initially chartered for two years.
• Task Force will be comprised of various tourism stakeholders including the community-at-large, Business community and assets/attractions
• Total number of members not to exceed eleven (11) members
• Task Force will also include representatives from Historic Preservation, Lodgers’ Tax Advisory, and Parks/Recreation Boards
• Members will be initially appointed for a two term
• County project manager will be staff liaison to task force
The Task Force will be appointed by Council and this item is tentatively set for consideration at their May 1, 2018 Council meeting at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Applicants should submit a one or two-page letter of interest
E-mail your application to lacmanager@lacnm.us or drop it off at the County Council’s office. The deadline for letters of interest is 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 19, 2018.
For questions, contact Linda Matteson, Assistant to the County Manager, at (505) 662-8086.

Friday April 6, 2018
 UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA), the Juvenile Justice Advisory Board (JJAB), and the Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) invite the community to a free parenting seminar called CHAT: Creating Healthy Attitudes around Technology. This informational event will highlight researched-based approaches and tools to help parents manage their children’s use of technology devices in the home.
Sign-in begins at 8:00 a.m., with a light breakfast from Secret City Kitchen. Between 8:30 a.m. and 12:00 p.m., there will be two concurrent tracks, one addressing primary grades and one addressing secondary grades. Healthy Schools Program Director Kristine Coblentz and District Site Tech Administrator Sal Zapien from LAPS will present on school technology and wellness for each age group. In the other secondary grade session, Brandi Seekins of the Los Alamos High School Risk and Resiliency Assessment group (RAPS) will lead a roundtable, exploring root causes for risk-taking behaviors and acknowledging the strengths and protective factors that are present in our community. In the other primary grade session, Denise Matthews, a play-based education specialist at PEEC, will address “Experiencing Nature through Play,” also involving participants in activities.
“It is important for parents to network,” said Zapien. “They need to reach beyond their own families and talk with other parents about technology and how they allow their children to use it.”
Free childcare for children ages six months through pre-school is available at the ARK Child Development Center, courtesy of Zia Credit Union. Parents are encouraged to call the Ark at 662-4822 no later than Wednesday, April 11, to sign up for childcare.
Enrichment activities for children K–6 will be offered at UNM-LA. Parents should call UNM-LA Community Education at 662-0346 to register their children for those activities.
Advance registration is encouraged for this free workshop. Visit https://losalamos.unm.edu/community-education/parenting-CHAT-Spring-2018.html to sign up online. For more information, contact UNM-LA Community Education at 662-0346 or commed@unm.edu.


Thursday April 5, 2018
On Monday, April 2 the UNM-LA Advisory Board unanimously approved the FY19 budget, with a focus on maintaining and further developing services to the students and community without increasing tuition. Bob Harmon, UNM-LA’s Director of Business Operations, presented the budget which he described as a relatively flat budget. UNM-LA projected revenues for next year have shifted, with a slight increase in state revenue, offsetting a slight decline in overall tuition revenue. Although enrollment at UNM continues to grow, much of the recent growth has been due to an increase of high school dual credit students, for which tuition is waived.
The FY19 budget provides increased support to the areas of instruction and student support. UNM-LA will be offering additional classes and expanding career guidance services. Funds have also been allocated to hire more student workers, based on research that shows that students who work on campus have higher success rates related to degree completion.
During the legislative session, the state budget that was passed included recommendations for a 2% raise to state employees but ultimately did not fully fund the increase for all state agencies. For UNM, UNM-LA, and most higher education institutions, the additional funding from the state would support an increase of slightly less than 1%. UNM-LA, following guidance from UNM, decided to include in the budget for next year a compensation increase of 1% to qualified employees, with a potential additional 1-2% merit raise within the guidelines established by UNM. UNM-LA will cover the unfunded portion by restructuring spending. UNM-LA employees have not had an across-the-board salary increase since 2014.

Wednesday April 4, 2018
The Valle Grande Chapter, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, has elected delegates to the 98th New Mexico State Conference of the New Mexico State Organization, Daughters of the American Revolution.
Delegates from Los Alamos are Roberta Day Idzorek, Regent of the Valle Grande Chapter, Marge Lewis, and Linda Kolar. Alternates are Linda Carol Alt, Karen Gray, Megan Farrell, and Chastity Kolar.
The State Conference will be held at the Sheraton Albuquerque Uptown, Albuquerque, NM on April 13 - 15, 2018. The theme of this year's conference is "Remembering World War I".
November 11, 2018 will be the 100th anniversary of the armistice or end of World War I. During the first World War, there were four chapters of NSDAR in New Mexico, organized even before statehood. The women of these chapters supported the troops by knitting sweaters, socks, and other items, many of these items being donated to the battleship New Mexico. Members conserved food and fuel, rolled bandages, and made comfort kits. New Mexicans bought $18 million in Liberty Bonds.


Tuesday April 3, 2018
Fishing season started Sunday in New Mexico and state wildlife managers are reminding anglers they'll need to purchase a new license.
The season runs from April 1 to March 31, 2019.
Fishing licenses cost $25 for state residents, and most anglers are required to purchase a $4 state habitat management and access validation stamp as well.
Those who plan to fish on Bureau of Land Management or national forest lands will need a $5 federal habitat stamp.
Children under the age of 12 don't need a license, and anglers age 70 and older qualify for a free license. Resident active and military veterans qualify for free or discounted licenses.
Licenses can be purchased online or at Game and Fish Department offices and license vendors statewide.

Monday April 2, 2018
Los Alamos County has published its proposed biennial budget. Information has been included based on current spending, revenue forecasts, and Council direction. Citizens are encouraged to access the document on the Finance Office/Budget page of the County’s website.
Reference copies are also available at both public libraries and the Customer Care Center (Municipal Building lobby).
A Citizen’s Guide to the Budget summarizes the budget in an easy-to-read format and is available at
www.losalamosnm.us/government/departments/administrative_services
Copies of the Citizen’s Guide are also available at the libraries and in the public literature rack located in the west vestibule of the Municipal Building.
Budget hearings are set for April 16, 17, 23 and 24. All hearings begin at 6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers. Until the Council adopts the budget, it is still open for discussion and change. Scheduled budget hearings may be cancelled if the budget is adopted at an earlier hearing.
Council will reserve the first thirty minutes of each hearing for public comment on any portion of the proposed budget. Once all comments have been provided, or, after this time has expired, budget presentations and discussions will continue.

Friday March 30, 2018
Crews with the New Mexico Department of Transportation have been working around the clock this week to prepare safe walking areas along the route to El Santuario de Chimayó in preparation for the Good Friday pilgrimage, which draws tens of thousands of faithful each year.
One lane of U.S 84/285 will be closed to traffic between N.M. 599 and the south Tesuque exit. Walkers will be guided to exit ramps between Santa Fe and Cuyamungue, where they can access a frontage road.
Temporary stop signs will be placed at interchanges to allow walkers to pass more safely.
Additional signs, electronic message boards and portable light fixtures will be placed along parts of N.M. 76 in Chimayó, N.M. 503 through Nambé and other roads to warn motorists about pedestrians.
Trash bins will be stationed along the route, reminding walkers not to litter.
The Santa Fe County Sheriff’s Office also began launching increased patrols Thursday afternoon and distributing glow sticks in the evening for those making the trek at night. The agency planned to conduct DWI checkpoints along the route and some deputies will patrol the santuario area on foot.
New Mexico State Police, the Santa Fe Police Department, Pojoaque Tribal Police Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs were assisting in the effort.
The Transportation Department and law enforcement agencies encouraged pilgrims to stay safe by walking on roadway shoulders and wearing bright, reflective clothing that’s appropriate for the weather. Those walking at night should bring flashlights.
Walkers should bring plenty of water, food, sunscreen, hats and a small first-aid kit. They also should alert family and friends about their planned routes and set up times to check in by phone
The North Central Regional Transit District will be adding an additional Blue Bus along its Española-to-Chimayó route on Good Friday. And two buses for riders with disabilities will run on a continuous loop from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., departing from the Española Transit Center on Paseo de Oñate to the Benny J. Chavez Community Center on Juan Medina Road.
For more information about the Good Friday buses, call 866-206-0754 or visit RidetheBlueBus.com.


Thursday March 29, 2018
National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day is observed annually today. This day honors all small business owners.
Small businesses are a vital part of the United States economy. These businesses are not always appreciated for the critical role that they play. We can show them their much-deserved appreciation on National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day.
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, there are more than 27 million small businesses in the United States.
Owning your own business is a goal that many people strive to attain. It takes long hours, hard work and much dedication. Countless hours of nurturing the business are needed in the process of growing the business. “Mom and Pop” businesses offer superior customer service as the owners take personal pride in their operations as well as pride in their communities.

Wedneasday March 28, 2018
State Auditor Wayne Johnson released the final audit of a $10.5 million federally-funded project meant to bring broadband connectivity to communities across northern New Mexico. The audit found nearly $1,000,000 in expenses that can’t be accounted for, 12.12 miles of missing fiber optic cable worth nearly $200,000, and a lack of financial controls to ensure compliance with laws, regulations, policies, and grant agreements.
In July 2010, the Northern Central New Mexico Economic Development District (NCNMEDD) received a $10.5 million federal grant through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The grant was for construction of a high-speed, open access, community broadband network in Northern New Mexico, known as “REDI Net.” The areas to be served include: Los Alamos County, Santa Fe County, the City of Espanola, Rio Arriba County, Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo, the Pueblo of Santa Clara, the Pueblo of Pojoaque, and the Pueblo of Tesuque.
Johnson’s office continues to look for missing documentation and has served several subpoenas on contractors and vendors who received significant payments from the broadband project.
“The OSA is unwilling to close this matter at this time,” said Johnson in a letter to NCNMEDD and REDI Net. “REDI Net still cannot account for almost $1 million in expenditures and approximately 12 miles of fiber optic cable. REDI Net still does not have a complete listing of its capital assets that were constructed with money from the federal grant.”


Tuesday March 27, 2018
 Los Alamos County has been recognized as the No. 4 ranking “Healthiest Community” in the country by U.S. News and World Report.
The County also ranked No. 4 in a separate peer-group ranking under the category of “Urban-High Performing” according to information from the report.
Healthiest Communities is an interactive platform developed by U.S. News and World Report, in collaboration with the Aetna Foundation. Accompanied by news, analysis and in-depth reporting, the platform features rankings drawn from an examination of nearly 3,000 counties and county equivalents on 80 metrics across 10 categories. Population health and equity are the most highly weighted factors in the methodology, followed closely by education and economy. Data were gathered and analyzed by the University of Missouri Center for Applied Research and Engagement Systems (CARES).


Monday March 26, 2018
The Los Alamos High School Hilltalkers Speech and Debate team is proud to announce their 2018 qualifiers for the National Tournament to be held in June in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
The Hilltalkers sent 20 outstanding speakers and debaters to compete at the New Mexico National Speech and Debate Association qualifying tournament at Albuquerque Academy on March 15-17. Of those 20, 12 Hilltalkers have advanced to the National Tournament. The team and their coach, Margo Batha, appreciate the ongoing support.
Qualifying to compete at the National Tournament is a grueling process that includes double elimination rounds in speech and debate events. Only those placing first or second place can advance to compete at the National Tournament in June. Of the 12 Hilltalkers who qualified, 11 of them are products of the Los Alamos Middle School Speech and Debate program.
Malea Joyce - 2nd place, Original Oratory
Nilesh Mukundan - 2nd place, United States Extemporaneous Speaking
Gopal Nadiga - 1st place, Big Questions Debate
Leah Wolfsberg and Xavier McTeigue - 1st place, Duo Interpretation
Emily Holmes and Neha Sadasivan - 2nd place, Duo Interpretation
Brandi Weiss - 2nd place, Informative Speaking
Donald Poston, Antonio Dowdy, Sonyia Williams, and Sam Menefee - New Mexico World Schools Debate team

Friday March 23, 2018
On March 9, eight Los Alamos High School students from the National History Day Club entered their projects into the National History Day (NHD) Regional competition, and all placed either first or second, which means all eight will advance to the state competition in April.
National History Day is an annual competition that over half a million students participate in nationwide.
There are three rounds of competition -- regionals, state, and nationals -- in which students display their projects to a panel of judges and defend their research in a fifteen minute interview. Placing at regionals or state advances the project to the next round of competition, and the top two entries in every category at the state level are then invited to the national contest. The 2018 NHD national finals will be held June 10-14 at the University of Maryland in College Park.
The winning projects and their creators are as follows: Logan Black and Ashley Miller created a performance on the Peloponnesian War, Kyler Parkinson and Abby Beus competed with their website on the Korean War, Thomas Chadwick created a website on Reconstruction, Christine Mathew and Brooklyn Scott made a documentary film on the annexation of Hawaii, and Miriam Wallstrom wrote a paper on the Cuban Missile Crisis.


Thursday March 22, 2018
According to the Los Alamos Monitor, Los Alamos County Sheriff’s candidate, Greg White, is looking to force a recall of David Izraelevitz, a Los Alamos County Councilor who is seeking a second term.
White submitted a petition to the First Judicial Clerk’s office for docket approval Tuesday afternoon.
According to White, Izraelevitz is violating state election laws by seeking another term. Izraelevitz was appointed to the Los Alamos County Council in 2011. Izraelevitz was officially elected to office in 2014.

According to White’s interpretation of the New Mexico Constitution, Article 10, Section 2, Izraelevitz can only serve two consecutive terms in office before having to wait two years to run again.
Though certain sections of Article 10 may appear to allow Izraelevitz to run for a second term, White said, all of the article’s sections should be read as a whole for the full meaning. White interprets the section to mean Izraelevitz’ 2011 appointment to council counts as Izraelevitz first term.
White’s hope is that a judge will decide in his favor, so a special election can be held when and if White can trigger a recall election by getting 33.3 percent of the signatures of voters who voted in the last election.
White has also included 31 other counts in his petition, many of them focusing on Izraelevitz’ role as county councilor during a time when the council decided to scale back the duties of the Los Alamos County Sheriff’s Office and reduce the office budget.
The Los Alamos County Clerk’s Office and Izraelevitz would not comment on the issue.

Wednesday March 21, 2018
Los Alamos Middle School seeks to empower its students to become caring citizens who contribute to communities inside and out of Los Alamos, and one teacher in particular is leading the charge.
Julia Agnew, a social studies teacher at Los Alamos Middle School, has been actively showing her students the importance of giving back and connecting with others. Here in town, her 7th grade GATE Social Studies students are making a difference by conducting service projects of their own choice. They are working with the question: "how does a person affect change in his/her community?"
One group of students is working on creating toys and activities to help promote adoptions at the Los Alamos County Animal Shelter. Another is raising funds for an international clean water initiative. A third group has investigated cafeteria food pricing, what students want, and food waste coordinating with the cafeteria manager, Mia Holsapple.
Agnew has also been collaborating with a middle school in Garnet Valley, Pennsylvania, as a way to sharpen their geography skills and learn about a different community.
In the fall, the two schools held a mystery Skype session where they answered yes/no questions back and forth to determine each school’s location in the United States.
The second project was creating a short 90-second video portraying each class’s surrounding area using the Flipgrid Video Platform. Students chose a site in the landscape in Northern New Mexico, explained the history of that site, and discussed the unique blend of cultures in New Mexico. The class was able to share many locations within New Mexico, including Los Alamos, White Rock, Espanola, Abiquiu, Chimayo and the Santuario in Chimayo.
The Pennsylvania students were so excited by the LAMS students’ videos that they specifically requested instructional videos on how to make New Mexican foods. Agnew’s class plans to share these in the next month.

Tuesday March 20, 2018

Fire managers on the Carson National Forest plan to burn up to 6,000 acres on the east side of the Valle Vidal Unit on the Questa Ranger District sometime between March 26 and April 30, 2018. If conditions are favorable, including fuel moisture levels, air quality and forecasted weather, the burn may likely begin the week of March 26th. 

The Loop Road prescribed burn unit is located in Colfax County approximately 14 miles northeast of Questa, New Mexico. Crews will be burning off of Forest Roads 1950, 1910, and 1914.  While the burn is being conducted, these roads will be closed for public safety.

If conditions are favorable, the burn should take 2-3 days to complete. 

Smoke may be visible from the following areas: State Highway 522, Costilla, Amalia, Cimarron, Raton and most communities in the Northeast portion of the state.

Monday March 19, 2018
Los Alamos Public School students excelled at the Northeastern New Mexico Regional Science and Engineering Fair with 52 students representing the district and nearly half receiving top marks. Los Alamos High School Student Lillian Peterson won Best in Show for the Senior Division with her project, “Predicting Food Shortages in Africa from Satellite Imagery.”
Students that placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in their category are eligible to move on to state, and over 20 projects from Los Alamos schools will be doing just that. The complete list of LAPS winners, including honorable mentions, is attached.
The competition consisted of schools from northeastern New Mexico such as Taos, Penasco, Santa Fe (Academy of Technology and the Classics, Carlos Gilbert, El Dorado, Desert Academy, and Santo Nino Regional Catholic School), Las Vegas, Roy, and Santa Rosa.
The New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair recognizes and rewards excellence in science, mathematics, and engineering projects created by junior high and high school students from throughout the state. These competitions are meant to encourage inquisitive students to explore their environment in a systematic, logical manner.
The next competition, the New Mexico State Science and Engineering Fair, takes place April 6-7, at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. The best of show winners at the state level will go on to compete at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair in May, which will be in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Tuesday March 13, 2018

Friday March 16, 2018
Drink. Drive. Jail. This is the message police will be giving drivers this weekend as multiple agencies will be conducting saturation patrols on our streets and highways. Operation Northern Safety is a concerted effort of law enforcement agencies from Edgewood to Espanola collaborating to enforce traffic laws. Extra officers will be on the highways watching for drunk, aggressive, reckless and other unsafe drivers.
St. Patrick’s Day, which falls on Saturday this year, is notoriously dangerous for drinking and driving crashes.
The special saturation patrol is intended to remind drivers to slow down, to keep your hands off your phone while driving, to buckle up and to drive sober. Operation Northern Safety has resulted in hundreds of driving citations and arrests during past efforts. The goal is a safe driving environment for everybody.
Operation Northern Safety is a joint effort between Santa Fe and Rio Arriba County DWI Programs, Rio Arriba and Santa Fe County sheriff, Española and Santa Fe police, State Police, Pojoaque, Santa Clara and Ohkay Owingeh tribal police.

Thursday March 15, 2018
Here is the Los Alamos National Laboratory Weather Summary for February.
February had a distinct swing in temperatures. The first week had significantly warm temperatures, while the last week had much
cooler temperatures, as storms moved into the state and provided snow for Los Alamos. The maximum, minimum, and mean
temperatures were approximately 3–4 degrees above average, which was similar for western and central New Mexico. The
previous five February’s, including 2018, have had warmer than normal temperatures. For the fifth month in a row, Los Alamos measured below average
precipitation for rain and snow. On February 22, Los Alamos finally had a considerable snowstorm, as Los Alamos measured 4 inches of snow, the most
snow in one day this winter. The 5.7 inches of snow this winter is the lowest through February since 2006. The U.S. Drought Monitor has most of
northern New Mexico in an extreme drought, including western Los Alamos County.

Wednesday March 14, 2018

You are invited to a student-led community forum on Tuesday, March 20, from 6:00-7:30 PM at the Los Alamos High School Speech Theater.

The purpose of this meeting is to give students the chance to be heard and for the community to be involved in the discussion about school safety.

All interested students, parents, and community members are invited to join the round table discussions to engage in dialogue about what the district is currently doing and what can be done moving forward to make a difference in the safety of our schools.

The Los Alamos Hilltalkers and Hawktalkers Speech and Debate Teams earned top marks at the State Speech and Debate Tournament that was held at V Sue Cleveland High School in Rio Rancho. There were 27 schools competing from New Mexico, and although the competition was tough this year, both the high school and middle school Speech and Debate teams came out on top.
The Hilltalkers also enjoyed competing against the Los Alamos Middle School Hawktalkers team, seven of whom traveled to Albuquerque to compete at the state competition. The Hawktalkers are the middle school branch of the high school team.
The Hawktalkers are the only middle school speech and debate team currently competing as a standalone team in the state of New Mexico, which means they compete at a high school level. While their success may not be as trophy-studded as their high school peers, the public speaking abilities and confidence they gain and exhibit is above par.
But this year is far from over for the Hilltalkers, as they are already hard at work perfecting their cases and speeches for the New Mexico District National Qualifying Tournament, which will be held on March 15-17.

Monday March 12, 2018
Los Alamos County will hire outside counsel to investigate alleged ethics abuses of the Regional Coalition of LANL Communities.County Councilors unanimously voted in favor of an independent investigation. Council James Chrobocinski was absent.
A county audit found that the coalition’s executive director, Andrea Romero was reimbursed for $1,850 on a dinner and $307 for alcohol and baseball tickets during a lobbying trip to Washington, D.C.
Councilors James Chrobocinski and Susan O’Leary requested councilors seek an outside investigation into the matter.
The scope of the investigation is expected to include the Washington, D.C. trip taken in 2017, and could also include interactions with Los Alamos County that reach back into 2011, when RCLC was founded.
The council requested Monday that the outside counsel return with an investigative plan and scope by April 3 for further discussion and action.


Friday March 10, 2018
— Late on the evening of Monday, March 5, 2018, or early in the morning hours of Tuesday, March 6, 2018, a cow elk was poached in Valles Caldera National Preserve. The incident occurred along NM State Route 4 near mile post 41.
Park Rangers are requesting the public’s help in solving this crime. A total reward of up to $1500 will be paid for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.
If you witnessed suspicious activity in the area or have knowledge of this incident, please call or text the Park Crime Tip Line at 505-709-0077. Callers can remain anonymous.

Thursday March 9, 2018

The Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) is seeking vendors interested in hosting food or other informational booths at Wildfire Day 2018 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 31 at Ashley Pond Park.

Wildfire Day is a fun event for the entire family with Easter Egg hunt, bicycle safety course, LAPD bomb truck, public safety vehicles, Smokey Bear, Sparky the Fire Dog and much more. Wildfire Day is a community event geared towards educating the community on becoming a Fire Adapted Community.

Vendors with questions can contact LAFD by sending an e-mail to event coordinator Marisol Padilla at marisol.padilla@lacnm.us or calling 505-662-8317. All vendor permits, and payments must be received by the PROS Division Office by 5 p.m. on Wednesday March 21.

Wednesday March 8, 2018

Tuesday March 7, 2018
Get Out. Get Active is the continuing theme for this collaborative program from Los Alamos County Community Services, with lots of fun things to see and do in our community during spring! Check out the full booklet of information. You can pick up booklets at County facilities, including Mesa Public Library, White Rock Library, Ice Rink, Aquatic Center, Golf Course, and the Customer Care Center in the Municipal Building lobby, as well as any of the local visitor centers and many of our local businesses.

Monday March 6, 2018
Starting July 2018, a Yard Trimming roll cart will be available to residents who participate in weekly curbside roll cart collection, to compensate for Quarterly Brush Collection. The Yard Trimming roll cart is voluntary and there will be no additional cost to the resident. The Yard Trimming roll cart is for organic yard trimmings only, which includes short branches, flowers, grass clippings, leaves, pine needles and pine cones. Yard trimmings will be collected at curbside, March through November of every year, and Christmas trees will be collected in January as usual.
This initiative will save approximately 14% of our waste from being sent to the landfill, extending landfill life, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The yard trimmings will be composted into high quality garden and landscaping materials and will be made available for free to residents to use. In order to conserve resources and maintain operational costs, Environmental Services is exploring opportunities to collect recycle and yard trimmings more efficiently and sustainably. This is where the residents need to give them information. There is a survey on the county website open forum page as to how you will participate in the program. It is open through March 8.

Friday March 2, 2018

Delivery of the Los Alamos Switchgear Substation (LASS) is delayed, according to officials with the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities.  The large oversized load, arriving on two commercial semi-trucks will arrive in the early afternoon on Fri. March 2, rather than in the morning as stated previously.  Traffic on E. Jemez Rd, also known as the Truck Route, will be impacted for approximately 20 minutes to allow the west traveling semi-trucks to cross traffic to enter the area behind the Eco Station.   

Flaggers on the Truck Route will be stationed, and traffic control devices will be placed east of the Eco Station through the turn off to the Los Alamos National Laboratory guard station entrance. DPU estimates that it will take approximately 20 minutes for the semi-trucks to leave the LANL inspection station, travel west on E. Jemez Rd., and cross east-bound traffic lanes to deliver the LASS on a prepared pad, behind the Eco Station. Once delivered, all traffic control devices will be removed, and traffic returned to normal. 

Thursday March 1, 2018
Investigators with the Los Alamos Police Department have arrested and charged Antonio Trujillo, 31, and arrest warrants are active for Gregorio Trujillo, 29, both from Santa Fe with the crimes committed at the Los Alamos County Pajarito Cliff Site. Below is the breakdown of charges for each offender:
Antonio Trujillo
• 1 Count of Unlawful Taking of Vehicle
• 3 Count of Receiving/Transferring Stolen Vehicle
• 5 Counts of Burglary
• 4 Counts of Larceny
• 2 Counts of Breaking and Entering
• 2 Counts of Criminal Damage to Property
• 1 Count of Attempted Burglary
• 1 Count of Aggravated Fleeing
• 1 Count of Conspiracy to Commit Burglary

Gregorio Trujillo
• 1 Count of Receiving/Transferring Stolen Vehicle
• 1 Count of Burglary
• 1 Count of Breaking and Entering
• 1 Count of Criminal Damage to Property
• 1 Count of Larceny

LAPD Investigators are still working with the Santa Fe Sheriff’s Office and the New Mexico State Police to determine if others were also involved in these crimes. Leads are being followed up on and future arrests are imminent in regards to these crimes and those committed at the storage rooms located at 1265 Trinity Dr. The community is urged to contact the Los Alamos Police Department or Crimestoppers with any information that may help in these investigations and locate the whereabouts of Gregorio Trujillo. Callers may remain anonymous.

Los Alamos Police Department- 662-8222
Los Alamos Crime Stoppers- 662-8282

Wednesday February 28, 2018

The Public Works Department invites you to attend a public meeting to discuss the next phase of an upcoming road improvement project within the Cumbres Del Sol Subdivision.  The meeting will be held in conjunction with the Transportation Board’s regular monthly meeting on Thursday, March 1, 2018 at 5:30 p.m., located in Boards & Commissions Room 110 of the Municipal Building at 1000 Central Avenue.

Proposed improvements include roadway reconstruction of the following streets:

•      Camino Manzana

•      Camino Mora

•      Camino Cereza

The proposed work involves removal and replacement of asphalt surfacing and limited concrete replacement. 

Tuesday February 27, 2018
On February 26, Antonio Tony Redondo will be taking over as head of Los Alamos National Laboratory’s tech transfer division, the Richard P. Feynman Center for Innovation. Named after the famous Manhattan Project physicist, the Feynman Center helps to transition science and technology created at the Laboratory to the private sector.
Redondo is the former Theoretical Division leader and currently a senior scientist in the Theory, Simulation and Computation Directorate. In his 35 years at Los Alamos, he has served as principal investigator for several projects, including Soft Matter Mechanical, Rheological and Stability Properties, funded by Procter and Gamble; Metal Corrosion, funded by Chevron; Sustainable Materials, funded by Procter & Gamble; and Crystallization of Sugar, funded by Mars, Inc.
Redondo will replace David Pesiri, who has been director of the Feynman Center since 2011. Pesiri will move into the Director’s Office to help manage the upcoming management and operation (M&O) contract change. In addition to leading the Feynman Center, he was a team leader for business development for five years. Prior to joining Los Alamos, he was a successful entrepreneur, helping to create and lead several technology companies. Pesiri has more than a decade of management experience at the Laboratory.

Monday February 26, 2018
A new federal report says Los Alamos National Laboratory violated regulations to protect workers from exposure to a metal that can cause lung disease and cancer. The Energy Department inspector general's report says the nuclear weapons lab didn't properly track beryllium and didn't assure that contaminated areas were safe before work continued. Lab spokesman Matt Nerzig says Los Alamos hasn't scaled back measures to protect workers but is addressing the recommendations in the inspector general's report. The National Nuclear Security Administration says its oversight was insufficient due to staffing issues but that it doesn't know that shortcoming caused exposures at Los Alamos.

Friday February 23, 2018
New Mexico’s safest town is Los Alamos, world famous for being the location of the Manhattan Project and the birthplace of the atomic bomb. Los Alamos’ violent crime rate of just over 1 reported incident per 1,000 and rate of 7.87 property crimes per 1,000 are excellent, well below both the state and national averages. Sunland Park (#2), located in Doña Ana County, is of similar size and boasts nearly as impressive low crime rates. Rio Rancho (#3), a city of 95,454, is the third largest in the state and logged a violent crime rate of just 2.25 reported incidents per 1,000 inhabitants.

Thursday February 22, 2018
School is on a two hour delay
The senior centers are opening at 10 am
UNM-LA opens at 10 am
Bandelier opens at 11 am

Wednesday February 21, 2018
Fire managers on the Santa Fe National Forest, plan to take advantage of favorable conditions, including fuel moisture levels, air quality, winds, and weather forecasts to conduct a two-day prescribed burn in the Santa Fe Watershed, possibly starting Monday.
The 755-acre treatment area is approximately three miles east of the City of Santa Fe on the south end between Nichols and McClure Reservoirs. Impacts from the hand and aerial ig-nitions are expected to be minimal due to this being a second entry prescribed burn into this particular area.
The Santa Fe Watershed prescribed burn is specifically designed to improve and protect the 17 thousand 384-acre watershed, which provides 40 percent of the water to the City of Santa Fe, by removing dead forest fuels and reducing the risk of high-intensity wildfire. Prescribed fires are managed with firefighter and public safety as the first priority.
Smoke will likely be visible from Santa Fe, Tesuque, Glorieta, Pecos Canyon, El Dorado and I-25. Smoke may settle into lower elevations and drainages overnight but should lift by midmorning. Lingering smoke may be present for up to one week after ignitions are complete.


Tuesday February 20, 2018
Officers with the Los Alamos Police Department were involved in an overnight officer involved shooting that occurred around 3:45 a.m. on February 17, 2018. Officers were investigating suspicious circumstances at a County facility located in Los Alamos. During this investigation shots were fired by police and a pursuit ensued out of Los Alamos County and into the Espanola/Rio Arriba area. Neighboring law enforcement assisted in the pursuit that ended on Corlett St in Espanola.
The suspects fled on foot and remain at large. No officers were injured in this incident and the scene is still being examined to determine if any of the suspects were injured. This is an isolated incident and do not believe the public is in jeopardy. This incident is being investigated by the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau. Further details will be released upon completion of this investigation as it currently remains active.

Saturday-Monday February 17-19, 2018
The Ecostation and Overlook Convience Center will be closed on Monday, President's Day.
There will be no trash or recycling pick up on Monday. If your trash day is Monday set it our on Wednesday.

Thursday February 15, 2018

Wednesday February 14, 2018
On Thursday, Feb. 15, the Los Alamos School Board and Community Budget Committee will be hosting the first community budget meeting from 5:30 – 7:30 PM at the High School Speech Theater to discuss the 2018-19 LAPS budget proposal. All parents and interested community members are invited to attend and participate in the conversation.
The first meeting, scheduled for Thursday, will begin with an introduction to school budgeting followed by a review of the school funding formula, a quick Legislative update and considerations for the 2018-19 budget.
The school board and budget committee are asking for ideas and suggestions from students, staff, parents and community members.

Tuesday February 13, 2018

Monday February 12,  2018
According to the Los Alamos Monitor Los Alamos County Parks and Recreation Department will be working on several neighborhood playgrounds for renovation. Those include the tot lots in Walnut Park, the 37th Street Tot Lot and the Ridgeway Drive Tot Lot.
At the Walnut Street Playground, the concrete borders around the tot lots will be removed to make them accessible to those in wheelchairs. The slide and the two climbing apparatuses will be moved away from other the transmission lines and placed in the upper tot lot. The barbed-wire perimeter fence will be removed, and chain-link fences will be installed around the tot lots, the picnic areas and the basketball court. Hopscotch and other games will be painted onto half of the basketball court, leaving the south end of the court open for basketball.
At the playground on 37th Street, barbed wire fencing will be removed from there as well, borders will be repaired and made accessible to the disable, and trail access will be created. Also, a shade structure may be installed along with additional, age-appropriate park playground toys and equipment.

At the Ridgeway Drive Playground, the concrete tables and curbing will be removed, and so will the swings and uneven bars. Wooden borders will be installed around the tot lots, and old and damaged fencing, asphalt and concrete will be removed. A parking lot will be created also.
Also on the list are Overlook Park in White Rock and Urban Park in Los Alamos. Twelve-thousand dollars has been allocated for improvements at Urban Park, and Parks and Recreation plans to spend $14,000 on improvements to the concession stand at Overlook Park. The department also plans to spend $18,000 on Overlook Park’s playground.

Friday February 9, 2018
Mesa Public Library will open at 1:00 pm as opposed to the normal 10:00 am opening on Wednesday February 14th, due to Fire System testing. During this time the public will not be allowed into the building due to frequent fire alarms going off. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Great Western Specialties has been replacing the fire panel and all smoke, heat sensors and other devices at the Mesa Public Library beginning Monday, February 5.
The crew is working the overnight hours from 9:00 pm Monday, February 5 through 9:00 am Friday, February 9th. During this time, the library interior lights will all be on and passersby may see workers at all hours of the night. The goal is to work at night so there’s minimal disruption to daytime activities. The Fire Marshal and Contractor will be conducting preliminary testing of the system on Friday, February 9th prior to 10am with full functional testing occurring February 14 prior to 1pm.

Thursday February 8, 2018
The Los Alamos Middle School Geography Bee was held last Thursday, Feb. 1st, in the LAMS Library.
There were twelve participants in the school-level Bee and two students represented each of the six Hawk Teams. The overall winner of the bee was 8th grade student Danny Nichols. Finishing runner-up was 7th grader Alex Livescu.
Students had to first advance through their classroom competitions to earn a position in the school-wide Bee. The classroom Bee consisted of seven rounds and the questions ranged from U.S. Geography to World Geography.
The school-wide Bee asked both U.S. and World Geography questions based on rounds. Each student was asked one question per round, and once the competition was narrowed down to two students, they were each asked three questions.

Wednesday February 7, 2018
Join Bandelier in February as the park continues to celebrate the Year of the Bird! This year is the centennial of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, the most powerful and important bird-protection law ever passed. Throughout 2018, they will be joining National Geographic, the Audubon Society and numerous other organizations around the country in recognizing this milestone by celebrating the Year of the Bird.
For this month’s bird, park staff chose the Rocky Mountain Sandhill Crane (Antigone canadensis). Though this bird rarely lands in Bandelier, it can frequently be seen and heard migrating over the park on its way south in late October or back to the northern Rockies in late February.
Bandelier will also be participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count, which runs from February 16-19. Everyone is encouraged to count the birds in their backyard (or other birding hotspots) for at least 15 minutes each day and record them at gbbc.birdcount.org.
Bandelier will hold an official event on Friday, February 16 from 8:30am-11am. There will be three stations around the park including one at the Bandelier Visitor Center, one at the Burnt Mesa Trailhead, and one at Ponderosa Campground. Everyone is invited to come and see what birds can be found.
For more information, contact the Bandelier Visitor Center at 505-672-3861 x 517,

Tuesday February 6, 2018
The GATE Advisory Committee for Los Alamos Public Schools has scheduled two upcoming meetings for this year. The purpose of the GATE Advisory Committee is to annually review the goals and priorities of the District gifted education program, including the process for identification, evaluation, placement and service delivery and to demonstrate support for the gifted program.
Interested members of the public are welcome to attend the meetings. For attendees who are not committee members, a public comment option will be provided. Listed below are the meeting dates, locations and topics to be covered.
Monday, Feb. 12, 4:00-6:00 p.m. - Aspen Elementary Library
(Review Identification Process, Presentation by diagnostician on the evaluation instruments used, Review of elementary programs)

Monday February 5, 2018
The State Senate unanimously passed a Joint Memorial sponsored by Senate Minority Whip Bill Payne to endorse the naming of a future U.S. Naval Submarine as the USS Los Alamos.
According to the Joint Memorial, a citizen-based initiative has requested that the United States secretary of the navy designate a future nuclear- powered submarine as the USS Los Alamos, stating that it is right and fitting that the secretary of the navy should consider this request, given the unique contributions of the residents of Los Alamos and northern New Mexico to this nation and the United States navy since 1943.

Friday February 2, 2018
Today, Friday, February 2, 2018, Los Alamos County Traffic and Streets Division crew will be striping both lanes on State Road 4 approaching the Truck Route Intersection where utility work was done in 2017.
There will be a flagging operation starting at 1:00 p.m. and ending at approximately 3:30 p.m.
Please use caution while traveling through this area and be mindful of the crew on site.
For questions, please contact Daniel Erickson at 505-663-1777.

Thursday February 1, 2018
Ever since 1987, the Friends of Bandelier have supported the park, providing funding for projects that couldn't have been done within Bandelier's regular budget
Projects that have been approved for funding in 2018 include a Bee Survey. Support for Trail Work,
A Wilderness Ranger position, a Fire Ecology Student Conservation intern, Fish Trackers, Pika Data Loggers, Replicas of Historic CCC Tinware , Annual Passes for new citizens at Naturalization Ceremony, Flags and flag cases for new citizens at Naturalization Ceremony, Bird Banding Training and a System for displaying art by Artists-in-Residence
With the energy and enthusiasm of new President Craig Martin, the Friends group has recently become more visible, with a new website at bandelierfriends.org, as well as more activity on their Facebook page. According to Bandelier Superintendent Jason Lott, Ever since Dorothy Hoard got the Friends started over 30 years ago, they have provided tremendous support to the park. We are grateful to Craig for continuing the leadership of the group, and hope that everyone who cares about Bandelier will consider becoming a member.
To learn more email friendsofbandelier@gmail.com.

Wednesday January 31, 2018
Twenty cadets from Los Alamos High School NJROTC traveled to Widefield, Colo. to compete Jan. 27 in the Widefield High School Drill Meet where they achieved high awards for their best efforts in drill, academics and physical fitness.
The weekend began with a special tour of the United States Air Force Academy where Vice-Wing Commander Cadet Colonel Hoyer led the LAHS cadets on a guided a tour. Cadets got a glimpse inside of the lifestyle of Academy cadets as they toured dorms, saw the USAFA Silent Drill Team practice, and heard the large organ in the cadet chapel.
The first event of the Drill Meet was the academic exam in which cadets were tested on a wide variety of topics from historic space operations to nautical terms. LAHS placed third in this event. Cadets then performed their Armed and Unarmed Exhibition routines, incorporating creative routines involving rifle and other drill movements, which earned them second place in Armed Exhibition and first place in Unarmed Exhibition.
The female Color Guard team of Echo Rogers, Andrea Soto, Hailey Jackson and Aria Schmierer placed third overall. The male Color Guard team of Austin Estrada, Richard Thompson, Caden Lim and Tanner Peterson placed second. All LAHS cadets participated in the personnel inspection where cadets’ uniforms were inspected for cleanliness, correct placement of ribbons and devices, and the cadets were asked questions about the Navy or current events. LAHS placed second in this category.
The Armed and Unarmed regulation teams competed with the Armed Regulation team placing third overall. Finally, LAHS competed in the physical fitness competition and placed in the pushups and sit-ups sections of the event.

Tuesday January 30, 2018
Los Alamos National Laboratory, the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology Directorate and the Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico are looking for volunteers in Los Alamos County to participate in a respiratory pathogen study.
The study takes place at the Medical Associates of Northern New Mexico clinic, from 8 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturdays. The study will continue for nine months.
The team encourages participation in the study to improve the ability to predict and alleviate emerging infectious diseases and plans to analyze the efficacy of laboratory diagnostics that identify respiratory infections.
Infectious diseases in the United States and the world at large are on the rise., A rise in antibiotic-resistant bacteria is making it difficult to treat the diseases.
Nasal and throat swabs will be collected non-invasively from participants with minimal discomfort. Participants will be asked for information regarding history of respiratory infections.

Monday January 29, 2018
The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities announced that weather permitting, crews with its natural gas division will close Esperanza Rd to all traffic between Quemazon and Brisa del Bosque on Monday, Jan. 29 at 9 a.m. The closure will remain through Tuesday, Jan.30. The Quemazon Montessori School is open for business and accessible from Brisa del Bosque.
The two-day road closure is part of a larger project to improve reliability of the natural gas system to the Quemazon community. Crews are installing two pressure regulating valves in underground vaults to preserve the viewshed. Residents within the road closure are asked to temporarily park vehicles in their garages.

Friday January 26, 2018
Topper Freshman Academy and Los Alamos High School are hosting Future Topper Night for all current 8th graders and their parents from 6:00-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 1. Future Topper Night is a special event designed to introduce students and parents to the staff, campus and programs unique to Topper Freshman Academy.
The evening will begin in Griffith Gym with a welcome and introductions by Topper Freshman Academy, Los Alamos High School and Los Alamos Public Schools Administration. Following the presentations will be a fun scavenger hunt where students meet teachers and become familiar with the campus. Upon completion of the scavenger hunt, students will receive their Class of 2022 T-shirt and Course Catalogue.

Thursday January 25, 2018
The New Mexico Association of Counties (NMAC) and State Auditor Wayne Johnson have selected Los Alamos County as the recipient of one of its annual Audit Accountability Awards. Helen Perraglio, the County’s Chief Financial Officer, was there to accept the award at NMAC’s Legislative Conference last week. The awards are given in recognition to large, mid-size, and small counties that have done outstanding work on their audits, submitted their audits in a timely manner, and have sustained excellence with the highest audit opinions. In addition, an award is given to the most improved county.
Los Alamos County received unmodified opinions with zero findings in 2016. An unmodified opinion is the best opinion that can be given, and means that the financial statements are presented fairly in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). This is the third time Los Alamos County has won the Audit Accountability Award since the inception of the awards in 2011.

Wednesday January 24, 2018
Los Alamos Public Schools is launching the LAPS Volunteer Program with the help of Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Lippard. The goal is to connect members of the community with opportunities in the schools where they can share their expertise, lend a helping hand in the classroom or mentor students. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Ms. Lippard to find the perfect volunteer opportunity and she will coordinate with teachers and staff to find the best placement for the benefit of students. Samantha can be reached at: 663-2222 or s.lippard@laschools.net
The three main categories of volunteering are tutoring and mentoring, short-term assistance and long-term help. Tutoring and mentoring will focus on semi-frequent visits to school sites where the volunteer is paired with a student who has been identified by a teacher and guidance counselor as needing some extra help socially or academically.
Short-term assistance is for volunteers who want to aid the schools in special events like spelling bees, science fairs, school carnivals, etc. This category would also include opportunities for classroom “guest lectures” from volunteers who want to share their expertise in their field.
Finally, long-term volunteers would aid teachers at regularly scheduled times. These tasks could range from reading to students at a scheduled time, helping supervise science experiments or assisting during particularly intensive projects.
Have an idea for a volunteer opportunity? Feel free to suggest creative ideas; no job is too big or too small.
It is not required to have a student enrolled in the school system in order to volunteer. For first time volunteers, please anticipate a two-week processing period in order to complete the appropriate security checks.

Tuesday January 23, 2018
Los Alamos Public Schools is launching the LAPS Volunteer Program with the help of Volunteer Coordinator Samantha Lippard. The goal is to connect members of the community with opportunities in the schools where they can share their expertise, lend a helping hand in the classroom or mentor students. Interested individuals are encouraged to contact Ms. Lippard to find the perfect volunteer opportunity and she will coordinate with teachers and staff to find the best placement for the benefit of students. Samantha can be reached at: 663-2222 or s.lippard@laschools.net
The three main categories of volunteering are tutoring and mentoring, short-term assistance and long-term help. Tutoring and mentoring will focus on semi-frequent visits to school sites where the volunteer is paired with a student who has been identified by a teacher and guidance counselor as needing some extra help socially or academically.
Short-term assistance is for volunteers who want to aid the schools in special events like spelling bees, science fairs, school carnivals, etc. This category would also include opportunities for classroom “guest lectures” from volunteers who want to share their expertise in their field.
Finally, long-term volunteers would aid teachers at regularly scheduled times. These tasks could range from reading to students at a scheduled time, helping supervise science experiments or assisting during particularly intensive projects.


Monday January 22, 2018
The County Clerk's office would like to remind anyone interested in running for office that, pursuant to State election code, every person appearing as a candidate on the primary or general election ballot shall be a candidate only under the name and party affiliation designation appearing on the existing voter registration on file in the county clerk's office on the date of the governor's proclamation of a primary election. This year, the date of issuance of that proclamation will be Monday, January 29. These offices are open for election in 2018 and filing day is March 13:
Magistrate Judge, Municipal Judge, Four positions on the County Council, County Assessor, County Sheriff and Probate Judge
For more information call the county clerk’s office at 662-8010 or visit their webpage.

Friday January 19, 2018
The Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities announced that crews with its electric distribution division will begin construction activities on the north shoulder of NM 502, just west of Camino Entrada. Weather permitting, work could begin as soon as Tuesday, January 23, 2018 and continue through the month of February.
Working Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. crews will be upgrading equipment in the area to improve electric reliability for the adjacent neighborhoods. The project footprint is limited to the shoulder and should have minimal impacts on traffic.
Motorists are urged to exercise caution when driving near the construction zone.

Thursday January 18, 2018

Wednesday January 17, 2018
Los Alamos National Laboratory’s efforts to stimulate new business growth, strengthen existing companies, create jobs and contribute to a diverse economy in northern New Mexico’s communities saw notable progress across the board in 2017.
Here are the Economic impact statistics:
In 2017, the Laboratory’s economic development initiatives helped to create or retain 1,700 jobs at New Mexico companies with salaries totaling more than $64.3 million.
Los Alamos worked on 281 economic development projects with New Mexico small businesses in 2017.
Out of more than $685 million in goods and services procured by the Laboratory in 2017, 46 percent (more than $317 million) went to New Mexico businesses.
The number of contracts awarded to New Mexico small businesses in 2017 totaled $262 million—about the same as the previous year, but with increases in contracts to women-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
The Laboratory employed 11,083 people—41 percent of whom are native New Mexicans—compared to 10,904 people in 2016. Forty-three percent of the workforce lives in Los Alamos County; while the majority live in surrounding communities.

Tuesday January 16, 2018
John McHale was selected as the Spirit of the West Award for 2017 at Saturday's Community Asset Awards. Champions of Youth Ambitions (C'YA), a local non-profit, sponsored the 10th annual event. The event recognized 39 nominees.
Members of the Los Alamos Fire Department were selected for the Director's Choice Award for their wildland fire fighting work here and in California.
Four fire fighters were acknowledged including; Brian Palmer, Tim Johnson, Van Leimer and Kelly Sterna.
The youngest nominee was 12 year old Timothy Rousculp, nominated by Mountain Principal Jennifer Guy. Timothy puts the flag up and takes it down each day.

Monday January 15, 2018
Closed for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Friday January 12, 2018
Every year the National Park Service (NPS) offers several days when the public is invited to visit fee free - that is, no entrance fees are charged. Bandelier National Monument and the other approximately 120 NPS areas that charge entrance fees invite everyone to enjoy this year's first fee-free day on Monday, January 15, Martin Luther King Jr. Day. It will also be fee free at lands administered by the Bureau of Land Management, the US Forest Service, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and the Bureau of Reclamation.
The next special event at Bandelier will be the Winter Sky Party on the night of Saturday, February 17. From 6-10 PM there will be giant telescopes set up in the Amphitheater parking lot and a campfire with hot chocolate and cider to ward away the chill.

Thursday January 11, 2018
Spring classes at the University of New Mexico-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) will begin on January 16, 2018. Registration is open through January 26, but earlier registration is advised as classes have seating limits.
UNM-LA provides an exceptional quality of instruction. Small class size allows for personal attention that is critical for student learning and success. The student support in advising and career exploration is vibrant and personal.
In addition to traditional face to face classes, UNM-LA offers online and hybrid classes (a combination of face-to- face and online) to help meet the various scheduling preferences and learning styles of students. There are also a variety of short courses, including classes that will start later in the semester.
UNM-LA is now offering an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Public Safety, with two online classes available this spring. Intro to Homeland Security (PBST101) introduces students to historical and contemporary aspects of governmental action related to terrorism and disaster, and discusses the challenges in balancing security and freedom. Public Safety Interview and Report Writing (PBST109) introduces students to effective interview techniques for gathering pertinent information, and narrative report writing for working within the justice system.
UNM-LA offers academic classes and programs in a variety of subjects to help students who are interested in increasing their knowledge, improving their skills, entering the workforce or transferring to four-year degree programs.
Those wishing to enroll can do so either online or on the UNM-LA campus. For questions or more information about enrollment, contact UNM-LA Student Services at 505.662.5919, or visit losalamos.unm.edu.
Wednesday January 10, 2018
The New Mexico Department of Transportation (NMDOT) continues roadway reconstruction on NM 30 from milepost 7.150 to milepost 7.610 in the Pueblo of Santa Clara but The project has been placed on winter suspension due to cold temperatures. During this time the contractor will have personnel on the project maintaining traffic control devices and the water diversion system. The contractor will resume construction in spring of 2018 as temperatures permit.
NM 30 will have one lane of travel in each direction at all times.

Tuesday January 9, 2018
The Traffic & Streets Division crews will be repairing roadway shoulders in the neighborhoods of La Senda and Pajarito Acres where asphalt on the side of the road has started to degrade and crumble. Crews will be adding fill to these damaged areas to support the roadway. Work should last approximately two weeks. Motorists are urged to exercise caution when driving near the construction zone.

Monday January 8, 2018
The Environmental Services crews will collect holiday trees for chipping and mulching beginning today through Friday, Jan. 19. Place your tree curbside between these two dates and it will be collected on your regular trash and recycling day. After the 19th, you can take it to the Eco Station.

Friday January 5, 2018
 The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Abiquiu Lake will host its annual Midwinter Eagle Watch event Saturday, Jan. 6, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. The event is open to the public and volunteers will be meeting at the Abiquiu Lake Project Office. Doors open at 9:00 a.m. The beginning of the event will start off with the Wildlife Center presenting a short educational program on bald eagles, featuring their non-releasable bald eagle, Maxwell. Volunteers are asked to dress warmly and bring binoculars, notepads, and drinking water.
The purpose of the eagle watch event is to gather individuals to help count eagles along standard, non-overlapping survey routes as part of a nationwide Midwinter Bald Eagle survey. It’s also a great opportunity to encourage shared environmental stewardship efforts with the public to promote wildlife conservation.
National Wildlife Federation officials have asked participants in each state to count eagles along standard routes to provide data on count trends. The basic objectives of the survey are to index the total wintering bald eagle populations in the lower 48 states, determine eagle distribution during a standardized survey period, and to identify previously unrecognized areas of important winter habitat.
The annual midwinter survey represents a unique source of long-term, baseline data. Unlike nesting surveys, it provides information on both breeding and non-breeding segments of the population at a potentially limiting time of the year. The count has become a national tradition since 1984, and is an annual event at Abiquiu Lake.
The Abiquiu Lake Project Office is located on Hwy 96 just 2 miles west of the Hwy 84 junction. For additional information, call the project office at 505-685-4371.