LAMS 7th Grader Hannah Li Wins 2025 District Spelling Bee
The 2025 LAPS District Spelling Bee winners are: Liam Colgan, 3rd place; Hannah Li, 1st place and Natalie Johnson, 2nd place. Hannah and Natalie will represent LAPS at the New Mexico State Qualifying Spelling Bee at the end of February. Courtesy/LAPS
Volunteers who helped with this year’s District Spelling Bee include Debbie Grothaus, judge; Sondra Wyman, judge; Tammy Hinckley, timekeeper; Judy Crocker, pronouncer; Davine Jones, judge and Nancy Brugh, emcee and recordkeeper. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
The Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) 2025 Spelling Bee champion is Hannah Li. Li, a 7th Read More
Top 25 Activities In Los Alamos County In 2025
Explore hands-on exhibits at Bradbury Science Museum. Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County—the birthplace of groundbreaking scientific discoveries and a sought-after travel destination for history buffs, science enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers—invites travelers to check off their 2025 vacation bucket list in Los Alamos, where discoveries are made.
“From science and history to a thriving culture of outdoor recreation, Los Alamos is a lively destination with small-town charm, friendly faces, and so much to explore,” County Marketing Specialist Ellyn Felton said. “Whichever Read More
In Person Grief Support Group Begins Tuesday Feb. 11
Think New Mexico Advocacy Group Marks 25 Years
Staff members of Think New Mexico, from left, Mandi Torrez, Susan Martin, Kristina Fisher, Fred Nathan, Katie Gutierrez and Marcus Lujan seen Thursday in the organization’s downtown Santa Fe office. Photo by Michael G. Seamans/The New Mexican
By Margaret O’Hara
The Santa Fe New Mexican
Fred Nathan remembers the moment when the idea for a nonpartisan think tank popped into his head.
The Santa Fe attorney was in the middle of a yearslong fight to shutter New Mexico’s drive-up liquor windows while working as special counsel to then-Attorney General Tom Udall in the 1990s, pushing Udall’s policy Read More
PEEC Welcomes Two New Board Members And Recognizes 2024-2025 Leadership
PEEC Board of Directors leadership from left, Vice President Bonnie Klamm, President Shelly Wiemann, Secretary Janet Griego and Treasurer Robin Gurule. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
The Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC) has announced the addition of two new members to its Board of Directors: Kristen Dors and Robin Gurule.
“These dedicated individuals bring diverse expertise and a shared passion for connecting people to nature, further strengthening PEEC’s mission as the heart of environmental education in Northern New Mexico.” –PEEC
PEEC also recognizes its 2024-2025 Read More
Four Teachers At Los Alamos Public Schools Complete National Board Certifications; Others Renew Certification
LAPS teachers recently obtaining their National Board Certification from left, Stephanie Abney, Bethany Scott, Julia Sheppard and Esther Smidt. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) has announced that four teachers recently obtained their National Board Certification (NBCT). Stephanie Abney, Bethany Scott, Julia Sheppard and Esther Smidt completed the requirements to be recognized as National Board Certified Teachers.
In addition, LAPS teachers Christine Engelbrecht, Kris Martinez, Lynn Ovaska and Carolyn Torres renewed their certification as NBCTs.
They Read More
Commissioner Garcia Richard Again Pushes Legislature To Increase Oil & Gas Royalty Rate On New Mexico State Lands
Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard
From the New Mexico State Land Office:
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- Raising rate would generate more than $1 billion in additional value for public schools, universities and hospitals
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SANTA FE – New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard is again urging the legislature to increase the top royalty rate charged for new oil and gas development on state lands from 20% to the market rate of 25%.
The legislation, which has been pre-filed by its sponsor, Sen. George Muñoz, would bring New Mexico’s royalty rate in line with what is charged in Texas and on private lands Read More
Santa Fe World Affairs Forum Presents ‘One World’ 5.5 Feet Long By 4.5 Feet High Jan. 30 In Board Room At SFCC
‘One World’ 5.5 Feet Long By 4.5 Feet High lunch buffet and talk Jan. 30 at SFCC. Courtesy image
Santa Fe World Affairs Forum News:
The community is invited to a lunch buffet and talk by artist-story teller Jeannie Hope Gibson noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 in the Board Room (#223) at Santa Fe Community College (SFCC).
Even with our vast personal differences or location on this earth, we are all interconnected, an extended family. Migrations and intermarriages throughout our human history have impacted our DNA, altering our bloodlines. These are average everyday people from all over the world Read More
Scenes Of 2025 Nuclear Shootout College Hockey Tourney
Plenty of action underway in front of the Arizona goal today during the 2025 Nuclear Shootout Hockey Tournament at the Los Alamos County Ice Rink. This exciting college hockey tournament runs through Sunday and features teams from Texas State University, Texas A&M University, Santa Clara University, Arizona State University and University of New Mexico, which brings high-intensity action to the ice during this three-day event. The UNM Hockey team played today against Arizona State University, which they lost 1-4. The UMN team has four Los Alamos graduates on the roster, #52 Tyler Weiss Read More
Friends Of The Libraries: Scholarships For LAHS Seniors
FLACL News:
Each year, the Friends of Los Alamos County Libraries (FLACL) partners with Los Alamos Public Schools Foundation to award up to five scholarships to college/university-bound high school seniors, for a total sum of $13,500. FLACL encourages all seniors to be aware of this opportunity and to apply.
These awards are given “to honor those who love books”, which speaks for all the volunteers and all the wonderful customers and shoppers in the community who support the non-profit FLACL bookstore. FLACL is sure it also speaks for many seniors at Los Alamos High School and county-approved Read More
New Mexico Museum Of Natural History & Science To Host Young Explorers Spring Camps March 17-21
NMMNHS News:
Spring Young Explorers Camps are returning to the New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science (NMMNHS) this March, offering campers the chance to explore topics like New Mexico’s ancient past the science of spring, and much more.
Starting Monday, March 17 through March 21, campers in kindergarten through fifth grade will be able to explore a variety of scientific topics through fun, age-appropriate activities throughout the week. Camp runs 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
Spend the day exploring New Mexico’s dinosaurs and other ancient life forms on Monday and Tuesday of Read More
UNM-Los Alamos Seeks Advisory Board Member
Recent view of the UNM-Los Alamos campus at 4000 University Drive. Courtesy/UNM-LA
UNM-LA News:
UNM-Los Alamos is seeking applications by Feb. 14, 2025, to fill a vacancy on its advisory board.
The board advises the University of New Mexico Board of Regents on matters pertaining to the Los Alamos campus. The candidate, selected by the advisory board, will be sworn in at the March board meeting to serve the remainder of Alissa Grissom’s term, which will be up for election in 2026.
The board meets on the Monday preceding the second Tuesday of each odd calendar month except in July, unless otherwise Read More
SFCC To Host Reception For Rocío Rodríguez Exhibition ‘Conversations With The Canvas’ Thursday Jan. 30
Rocío Rodríguez with her artwork for the SFCC exhibit ‘Conversations with the Canvas’. Courtesy.SFCC
SFCC News:
SANTA FE — Santa Fe Community College “Art on Campus” will host a reception for Fine Arts Alumna Rocío Rodríguez’s pop-up up exhibition, “Conversations with the Canvas”.
The reception is free and open to the public and runs 4:30-6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30 in the Dean’s Gallery in the entry lobby of the Fine Art Center on the SFCC campus at 6401 Richards Ave. The exhibition runs through Feb. 14.
Rodríguez continues to expand her artistic journey and is taking additional fine arts classes Read More
DOE Awards $37.5 Million Financial Assistance Cooperative Agreement To Vanderbilt University
DOE News:
CINCINNATI — July 16, the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Environmental Management (EM) awarded non-competitive financial assistance agreement Number DE-EM0005321, Consortium for Risk Evaluation with Stakeholder Participation (CRESP), to Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Vanderbilt will team with several other U.S. institutes of higher education to aid in the advancement of cost-effective, risk-informed environmental cleanup resulting from nuclear weapons development and government-sponsored nuclear energy research. CRESP will conduct strategic Read More
Catch Of The Week: Celebrity Scams Fueled By A.I.
By BECKY RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos
Romance and celebrity scams have always been a huge cybersecurity issue, and with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) they are even worse. These scams aren’t new, but the new A.I. powered ones have proven to be very profitable for the scammers.
In recent news, a French woman, Anne, was scammed out of $850,000 by a fake Brad Pitt. Their correspondence was packed with A.I. generated materials like pictures and even videos, adding to the believability of the scam. It’s easy to be a jerk, and laugh at her, but that’s not the right thing to do here, she’s the victim Read More
Nancy Hendricks Lecture ‘Protecting Petroglyph National Monument In The Midst Of Rapid Change’ Jan. 26
NMHS News:
The Friends of Coronado & Jemez Historic Sites offers a monthly lecture series at the Martha Liebert Public Library in Bernalillo, NM.
Nancy Hendricks, Superintendent of Petroglyph National Monument, presents the lecture, “A Place Connected: Protecting Petroglyph National Monument in the Midst of Rapid Change” for the Friends of Coronado & Jemez Historic Sites monthly lecture series 2-3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 26 at Martha Liebert Public Library.
Petroglyph National Monument spans more than 7,200 acres. Its 20,000+ petroglyphs and 350 archaeological sites Read More
Daily Postcard: Brewer’s Blackbird At North Mesa Stables
Daily Postcard: Purple and green iridescence shining in the sun, this Brewer’s Blackbird posed on a power line at the North Mesa Stables during Cornell’s October Big Day birding event. Common around farm land, Brewer’s Blackbirds are often in Los Alamos in spring, early summer and again in fall. October Big Day is a citizen-science project at Cornell University, creating a snapshot of biodiversity worldwide. Last year’s event broke their world record, documenting 7,987 species in a single day from observations by 46,704 birders in 202 countries based on reports as of mid November. Los Alamos Read More
Commissioner Garcia Richard Partners With Department Of Defense, NM Land Conservancy To Protect Chupadera Mesa
Commissioner Stephanie Garcia Richard and New Mexico Land Conservancy Executive Director Jonathan Hayden sign agreement to protect biological and cultural resources and aid military preparedness while generating millions for education. Courtesy/NMLO
From the New Mexico Land Office:
- Agreement protects biological and cultural resources, aids military preparedness while generating millions for education
SANTA FE – New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard today announced that she has entered into a partnership with the United States Department of Defense Read More
LAPS: Local Scholarships For Graduating Seniors
LAPS Foundation 2024 Scholarship Recipients. Photo by Jessica Booton
LAPS News:
It’s time for graduating seniors to begin applying for local scholarships! Do you know a student graduating this spring? Encourage them to apply for one of the many local scholarships our community offers. A lot of organizations and people in our community offer scholarships to support graduates. A variety of scholarships is available to all students, not just those with top grades, and many of the scholarships are for students seeking other pathways besides college. The deadline for most scholarship applications Read More
LARSO To Host ‘A Matter Of Balance’ Fall Prevention Program At BESC Beginning Monday Jan. 27
Instructors Judy Lovejoy, second from left, and Kate Cleveland, front, with October 2024 graduates. Courtesy/LARSO
By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Certified MOB Trainer
The Los Alamos Retired and Senior Organization (LARSO) will offer another session of A Matter of Balance (MOB) starting later this month. This evidence-based fall prevention program is designed to reduce the fear of falling and improve activity levels of older adults.
The classes are designed for seniors age 60 and older. The program is FREE and completed in eight two-hour sessions, twice a week.
The new classes are 9:30-11:30 Read More
