UNM To Host Free Autism-Based Webinar April 6
UNM News:
In honor of Autism Acceptance month, UNM is inviting the community to join presenters Tory Everhart, LCSW, and Jayme Swalby, MA, for the 2022-2023 Autism Imagine Training Series 3-4:30 p.m. (MT), April 6.
Title/Topic: Natural Supports in the Community
The journey each person travels as they navigate this complicated world is only made easier with access to supportive people and environments. This presentation will uncover the informal or natural supports woven throughout our daily lives and identify ways to help people connect with these supports. It will examine the benefits Read More
Los Alamos Family YMCA Youth Conservation Corps Application Deadline April 14
Youth Conservation Corps (YCC) crews work hard on new trails and fire-damaged areas. Courtesy/YMCA
By LAHNI ZOLLINGER
YMCA Sports, Youth and Family Co-Director
Administrator for YCC Program
Every summer, The Los Alamos Family YMCA looks for 9-10 youth to work for the Youth Conservation Corps (YCC). YCC has been a staple program in the community for many years that gives youth the opportunity to work hard, serve their community and gain leadership and job/interviewing skills. Past YCC crews have worked hard to repair fire-damaged paths as well as create new trails around the community. Many Read More
Chamisa & Pinon Schools Host Rocket Launch Event
Twenty-two students participated in the Piñon Elementary Rocket Club this year. Courtesy/LAPS
Members of this year’s Rocket Club at Chamisa Elementary. Courtesy/LAPS
LAPS News:
Rockets soared up in the sky at elementary schools in White Rock as both Chamisa Elementary and Piñon Elementary Rocket Clubs recently hosted their rocket launches for students and staff.
The rocket clubs at both schools are open to 6th grade students who meet weekly following Winter break to learn about rockets and start building rockets from kits. Their work culminates in the annual launches held in late March Read More
New Mexico Consortium Selects John Engen As Next CEO
John R. Engen
NMC News:
The New Mexico Consortium (NMC) Board of Directors has announced John R. Engen, Ph.D. as its next CEO.
“I am thrilled that Dr. Engen will soon be joining the NMC team. I believe John’s energy, vision, and leadership will bring new directions and unprecedented opportunities to advance New Mexico,” said Ellen Fisher, NMC Board of Directors chair and UNM vice president for research. “I look forward to working with John and the rest of the NMC board and staff as we usher in this exciting new era for NMC.”
Engen is the James L. Waters Endowed Chair in Analytical Chemistry, a role Read More
LAPS Announces Clean Audit For Second Consecutive Year
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) announced today that for the second consecutive year, there were no findings in its annual audit.
Cordova CPAs LLC presented its findings to the Los Alamos School Board earlier this school year, noting that the audit was conducted in accordance with Generally Accepted Auditing Standards (GAAS) and Generally Accepted Government Auditing Standards (GAGAS).
There were no findings on financial reporting, compliance or other matters. Likewise, there were no findings in the report on compliance for each major program or on internal control over Read More
Northern New Mexico College Invites Community To Celebrate Inauguration Of President Hector Balderas April 13
President Hector Balderas
NNMC News:
ESPAÑOLA — The Board of Regents of Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) invites the community to join them at the Inauguration of President Hector Balderas, JD, CFE, at 11 a.m. April 13 at the NNMC Center for the Arts, 921 Paseo de Oñate, in Española.
Balderas began his term Jan. 1, as Northern’s 22nd president. He brings many years of experience in public service to his new role at Northern, including serving two terms as New Mexico Attorney General and two terms as New Mexico State Auditor.
He served as a New Mexico State Representative at the age of 29. He earned Read More
Golden Apple Extends Scholar Program Application Deadline
GOLDEN APPLE News:
The Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching, a leading nonprofit committed to preparing, supporting, and mentoring aspiring teachers, extended the application deadline for the New Mexico Scholars program to April 15.
Scholars will receive extensive classroom teaching experience, instruction from award-winning New Mexico educators, job placement assistance upon graduation from college, a stipend, and mentoring throughout their journey. The Scholars Program creates a new pipeline of great teachers to help address both the teacher shortage and support Read More
Skolnik: School Attendance – Are Kids Really Going To Disneyland?
By RICHARD SKOLNIK
White Rock
School Attendance – A Critical Issue
The Los Alamos Public Schools have faced exceptionally high rates of absenteeism this year, compared to the pre-COVID 2018/19 school year. Every school but our middle school has had increases in the share of children missing 5 to 10% of school days, compared to the 2018/19 school year. At our elementary schools, the share of children missing this number of days has gone up by between 29% and 84%, compared to 2018/19. The share of elementary children missing 10 to 20% of all school days has gone up this year by about three times in two Read More
Call For New Mexico Indigenous Youth Council Applications For 2023-2024
Courtesy/IAD
IAD News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Indian Affairs Department’s (IAD) Indigenous Youth Council (IYC) is now accepting applications for the 2023-2024 IYC cohort.
They invite submissions from Indigenous youth in New Mexico aged 16 to 25 who would like to serve on the council during the next phase of work.
They seek Indigenous youth who want to be heard and represented in crucial decision-making processes and ensure that their concerns are addressed in tribal and state issues. By advancing the IYC’s objective and purpose of increasing support for Indigenous youth’s holistic Read More
Downtown Albuquerque Rail Yards To Be Headquarters For New Mexico Media Academy
From the Office of the Governor:
ALBUQUERQUE — Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday that the downtown Albuquerque Rail Yards will be the new headquarters for the New Mexico Media Academy, a collaborative workforce development initiative that will equip New Mexico residents with the advanced skills they need to work in the film and television industry.
With a focus on the burgeoning digital media ecosystem in the state, the historic downtown Albuquerque Rail Yards will be the instructional headquarters for the media academy. A satellite campus will be located in Las Cruces Read More
Beloved Junior Docents Program Returning To New Mexico Museum Of Natural History & Science In June
Kids participate in the Junior Docents program at the NM Museum of Natural History & Science. This popular program is returning to the Museum in 2023! Courtesy/NMMNHS
NMMNHS News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Museum of Natural History & Science (NMMNHS) has announced that its Junior Docents program is returning to the Museum this summer!
Starting June 5, rising 7th through 12th graders will have the opportunity to learn about science while also developing the public engagement skills that go along with being a museum docent. Since Junior Docents began in 1991, more than 1,000 teens Read More
LAPS Kindergarten Round Up April 12
LAPS News:
Los Alamos Public Schools is rounding up all incoming kindergarten students to attend the Kindergarten Round Up hosted at each elementary school starting at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 12.
Mountain Elementary will host two sessions based on students’ last names. Session one will be 1:30- 2:15 p.m. for students with last names A – M; students with last names N – Z will meet from 2:30- 3:15 p.m. Both sessions will start in Room 202.
Children who will turn five by Sept. 1, 2023 are eligible to enroll in kindergarten for the 2023-24 school year, and are invited to attend Kindergarten Read More
2023 LANL Scholars Announced!
Courtesy/LANL Foundation
LANL Foundation News:
ESPAÑOLA — The LANL Foundation has announced this year’s recipients of our four-year undergraduate degree scholarships.
This year 110 Northern New Mexico students pursuing bachelor’s degrees will receive 122 scholarships worth $839,000!
LANL Foundation’s four-year undergraduate scholarships are open to students pursuing a degree in any field of study. The scholarships range from $1,000 for a single year up to $20,000 over four years. Recipients are selected based on a demonstrated commitment to academic achievement, leadership, Read More
Eric Brown Of Los Alamos Receives 2023 Alumni Award For Distinguished Service
Eric N. Brown
EDUCATION News:
The Grainger College of Engineering at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has announced that Eric N. Brown of Los Alamos and six other alumni are recipients of the 2023 Alumni Award for Distinguished Service.
Brown (MechSE – BS ’98, MS ’01, PhD ‘03) is a Senior Scientist in the Office of Experiment Science at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). He founded and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dynamic Behavior of Materials. He has received awards for his technical achievements in physics and materials science from the ASC, DOE-NNSA, Read More
Local Business To Hold Informational Classes On Cannabis
CHAMBER News:
Los Alamos’s first cannabis shop is gearing up for another first, “Ask Me Anything About Cannabis!”
Local entrepreneur and Wheeed! owner Jonathan LeDuc is hosting a series of educational classes focusing on various topics surrounding the newly legalized cannabis. Cannabis or marijuana, was first legalized for recreational use in New Mexico through the signing of House Bill 2, the Cannabis Regulation Act, by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham in April 2021. This allowed for the first licensed sale of recreational cannabis beginning April 1, 2022.
The first class in the series, “Ask Read More
NNMC Hosts Evening Of Film And Conversation March 30
NNMC News:
ESPAÑOLA — Join Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) for an evening of film and conversation as we host an exclusive event for the closing of LOOK OUT featuring filmmakers Mateo Frazier and David Lindblom, along with special guest directors Ryan Begay, Don Gray and Diego Lopez.
The event 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 30, at the NNMC’s Center for the Arts, 921 N Paseo De Onate in Española.
“Land Water People Time,” directed by David Lindblom, is a collection of stories depicting Northern New Mexico’s vibrant cultures, traditions and heritage. “One in 7,” co-directed by David Lindblom and crewed Read More
Governor Signs Education Savings Plan Uses HB 342 Passed With Unanimous Support By New Mexico Legislature
EDUCATION PLAN News:
ALBUQUERQUE — The New Mexico Legislature unanimously passed House Bill 342—Education Savings Plan Uses—the legislation was signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham March 16, 2023 and will go into effect June 16, 2023.
With the bill signed into law, New Mexicans utilizing a 529 education savings account authorized by the New Mexico Education Trust Board—such as The Education Plan®—can now elect to receive a tax deduction for contributions used to pay for additional federal qualified education expenses, including:
- Up to $10,000 per year to cover expenses for tuition in
Gov. Michelle Lijan Grisham Signs Senate Bill 4 Making Universal Free & Healthy School Meals The Law Of The Land
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signs Senate Bill 4 with co-sponsors Sen. Leo Jaramillo and Sen. Michael Padilla today at Pinon Elementary School in Santa Fe. Photo by David Lienemann
STATE News:
SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham today signed Senate Bill 4, ensuring all students have access to free and healthy school meals, alongside students at Pinon Elementary School in Santa Fe.
The bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Whip Michael Padilla and Sen. Leo Jaramillo and passed unanimously through the Legislature.
“Today, New Mexico is leading the nation by not only providing free healthy school Read More
LAMS 8th Grader Tate Plohr Headed To State Science Fair
Los Alamos Middle School 8th grade student Tate Plohr placed 2nd in the Junior Division Physics & Astronomy category at the Regional Science Fair held earlier this month at New Mexico Highlands University. He will be competing April 14-15 at the State Science Fair at New Mexico Tech in Socorro. Courtesy/LAPS Read More
PEEC & Los Luceros Historic Site Announce Three Family Events For New Mexico Outdoor Pass Program
Spend time outdoors and learn about nature with NMOP! Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
The New Mexico Outdoor Pass (NMOP) program has announced three upcoming family events at Los Luceros Historic Site, designed to encourage spending time outdoors and learning about nature.
The first event is Insect & Bird Day, taking place 9 a.m. Sunday, April 2. Special guests Audubon Southwest and New Mexico Wildlife Center will join the event, providing the opportunity to meet live bird ambassadors from the New Mexico Wildlife Center, check out wild birds through binoculars and participate in fun activities Read More
