Political News - Los Alamos Daily Post

New Mexico Unemployment Rate 4.9 Percent In June

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 22, 2019

NMDWS News:

New Mexico’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in June 2019, down from 5.0 percent in May 2019 and up from 4.8 percent in the previous year.

The national unemployment rate in June was 3.7 percent, up from 3.6 percent in May 2019 and down from 4.0 percent in June 2018.

Total nonagricultural payroll employment grew by 15,200 jobs, or 1.8 percent, between June 2018 and June 2019. Most aggregate gains came from the private sector, which was up 13,900 jobs, or 2.1 percent. The public sector was up 1,300 jobs, or 0.7 percent. Growth was reported in both

Legislatively-Mandated, One-Time District Realignment For Elected Offices Happening Today, July 22

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 22, 2019

Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver

STATE News:

SANTA FE ― Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver and her staff will conduct the legislatively-mandated, one-time realignment of certain elected office districts at 10 a.m. today.

The process is open to the public and media and will take place at the State Capitol in Santa Fe in addition to being live-streamed on the Legislature’s website.

This process, mandated by the passage of House Bill 407 during the 2019 Legislative Session, will consist of the Secretary of State’s Office conducting a one-time renumbering

Governor Comments After Ernestine Romero Funeral

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 21, 2019

From the Office of the Governor:

SANTA FE – Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Saturday attended the funeral of Ernestine Romero, also known as Ernestine Saucedo, the Public Education Department employee and popular local vocalist who was tragically killed July 11 outside the Jerry Apodaca Building in Santa Fe.

The governor issued the following statement after the service:

“The outpouring of love in the wake of this tragedy has been remarkable,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “In their grief, those who knew Ernestine have honored her memory beautifully. We have heard from

Letter To The Editor: I Am Sorry To Disagree But…

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 21, 2019

By TERRY GOLDMAN

Los Alamos

As always, I am sorry to disagree with the intelligent and thoughtful David Izraelevitz, but this time I am quite sure that his conclusion is wrong: The Rump is not a racist; he is far worse than that. The Rump is an unprincipled opportunist who is willing to appeal to any prejudice: racism, sexism, xenophobia, in order to advance his status.

The flip-flops are especially informative: The Rump recants under pressure so he can claim innocence of the charges, but flops back to reassure his prejudiced supporter that he is Read More

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Appoints Seven New Interstate Stream Commission Members

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 20, 2019

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham

STATE News:

SANTA FE ― Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Friday appointed seven new members to the Interstate Stream Commission and re-appointed an eighth.

“Our water is our most precious natural resource,” Gov. Lujan Grisham said. “These individuals are tasked with upholding the people’s trust and providing for a sustainable future of that resource. My expectation is their diverse knowledge and expertise will serve New Mexicans well.”

Per state statute, the governor’s appointees must be representative of diverse major irrigation

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich Advances Legislation To Establish Tech-Transfer Maturation Program

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 19, 2019

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. Senate News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. (July 19, 2019) – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) has advanced legislation to authorize an Energy Technology Maturation Program at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to facilitate successful commercialization of laboratory-developed energy technologies and boost regional, technology-driven economic impact.

Senator Heinrich introduced the Energy Technology Maturation Program Act of 2019 (S. 1286) earlier this year, and on Tuesday, the bill was reported by a voice vote during a markup in the U.S. Senate Committee Read More

Members Of Congress, Senators Introduce Bipartisan, Bicameral STOP Act To Safeguard Tribal Items

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 19, 2019

CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Thursday, U.S. House Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and U.S. Representatives Deb Haaland (D-N.M.), Don Young (R-Alaska), and Tom Cole (R-Okla.) reintroduced the bipartisan Safeguard Tribal Objects of Patrimony Act, a bill to prohibit the exporting of sacred Native American items and increase penalties for stealing and illegally trafficking tribal cultural patrimony.

U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M), the lead author of the legislation, and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced the companion bill in the Senate.

RSF: Hong Kong Journalists Association Deplores ‘One Of The Worst Years’ Of Press Freedom

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 19, 2019

In its annual report, the Hong Kong Journalists Association deplores ‘one of the worst years’ of press freedom since the former British colony’s handover to China. Photo by /AFP

RSF News:

In its annual report published July 7, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) deplores “one of the worst years” of press freedom since the former British colony’s handover to China.

In the report, the HKJA raises concerns about the future of press freedom in the former British colony. According to the association, authorities are leading “a deliberate policy” to restrict

PEC Hears Pitch For Local Polaris Charter School

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 19, 2019

LAPS Superintendent Kurt Steinhaus gives his presentation on the concerns about the proposed charter school at Tuesday’s School Board Meeting. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com

The Polaris team answers questions posed by the Public Education Commission at the Community Input Meeting Tuesday at UNM-LA. Photo by Bonnie J. Gordon/ladailypost.com

By BONNIE J. GORDON

Los Alamos Daily Post

bjgordon@ladaialypost.com

A proposed new charter school for Los Alamos, Polaris Charter School, was the subject of a Community Input Meeting conducted by the New Mexico Public Read More

Udall, Heinrich, Luján Recognize LANL Contributions To State Economy, Employment

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 18, 2019

Los Alamos National Laboratory. Courtesy/LANL

CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION News:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Assistant Speaker Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) commended findings from an independent economic-impact analysis released Tuesday, which found that Los Alamos National Laboratory is responsible for creating 24,169 jobs in New Mexico.

The Economic Impact report, developed by the University of New Mexico Bureau of Business and Economic Research (BBER), found that the Los Alamos National Laboratory contributes Read More

An Open Book: Science And Humanity

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 18, 2019

By DAVID IZRAELEVTIZ
Los Alamos

Last Saturday was ScienceFest Discovery Day, and it was certainly a discovery Saturday for me. I missed the prior Friday night concert (more about that later), but I wanted to make sure to walk around on Saturday and get a feel for what this ever-improving Los Alamos signature event was all about. I saw loads of kids doing hands-on science experiments or safely peering through telescopes at the Sun. There were museums, parks, vendors, and even my old LANL division sharing their passion for knowledge, curiosity and the intricacies of the universe; a universe

AFT Joins National Campaign To Tax Rich

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 18, 2019

From the Albuquerque Teachers Federation:

ALBUQUERQUE — The Albuquerque Teachers Federation released today the following message:

We owe billions to students of color, low-income students, and students with disabilities.

For more than 40 years, Title 1 and IDEA have been underfunded. In just the last decade, they have been underfunded by more than $580 billion. It’s time to pay our debt! It’s time to Fund our Future! It’s time the rich paid their fair share.

As part of The American Federation of Teachers’ (AFT) campaign to Fund our Future, the Albuquerque Teachers Federation (ATF) is joining Read More

Udall Statement On BLM Relocation Proposal

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 17, 2019

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Tom Udall (D-N.M.), the ranking member on the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee overseeing the Department of the Interior’s budget, released the following statement Tuesday on the Trump Interior Department’s proposal to reorganize the Bureau of Land Management, including to relocate hundreds of staff and move the agency’s official headquarters to Grand Junction, Colo.:

“The Interior Department has not made a convincing argument for why such a relocation is necessary or in the best interests of the

Secretary Of State Releases Amendment To Campaign Finance Rule; Announces Public Input Process

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 17, 2019

SOS Maggie Toulouse Oliver

STATE News:

SANTA FE ― New Mexico Secretary of State Maggie Toulouse Oliver released Tuesday a draft amendment to the state’s Campaign Finance Rule and announced a public hearing in the state’s capital to gather community input about the draft amendment.

The amendment was mandated by the passage of Senate Bill 3 during the 2019 New Mexico Legislative Session, which directed the Secretary of State to promulgate rules in order to implement the changes to the Campaign Reporting Act (“the Act”) contained in Senate Bill 3.

“The proposed

New Mexico House Speaker Brian Egolf Selected For National Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 16, 2019

Speaker Brian Egolf

NM Legislature News:

SANTA FE – Speaker of the House of Representatives Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) has been selected for the national Aspen Institute-Rodel Fellowship in Public Leadership.

The program will bring together elected officials who have shown exceptional leadership and the ability to work across party lines.

Speaker Egolf was nominated for the Fellowship by Tobias Read, the State Treasurer of Oregon, and is one of only 24 elected political “rising stars” from around the country to be chosen.

“Speaker Egolf has been a long-time champion for New Mexico families,” Read More

Maggie Toulouse Oliver: It’s Time to Abolish ICE

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 16, 2019

From the Maggie Toulouse Oliver For Senate Campaign:

Agency Created to Fight Terrorism Now Creates Terror in U.S.

SANTA FE — New Mexico Secretary of State and candidate for U.S. Senate Maggie Toulouse Oliver called today for the federal government to do away with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency saying that it has overstepped its original mission and is actually undermining safety and stability in American communities.

“It’s time to abolish ICE,” Toulouse Oliver said. “ICE was created to stop terrorism and keep Americans safe. As we saw this weekend, though, Read More

Udall, Heinrich: $1 Million Grant For Veterans Housing

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 16, 2019

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Monday, U.S. Senators Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) have announced that the New Mexico Affordable Housing Charitable Trust in partnership with New Mexico Mortgage Finance Authority will receive a $1 million competitive grant for a Veterans Housing Rehabilitation and Modification Pilot Program.

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) grant will be used to rehabilitate or modify an estimated 80 residences across the state – helping disabled

Luján Calls On Nexstar And AT&T/DirecTV To End Blackout Of News Programs In New Mexico

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 16, 2019

Congressional Delegation News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. House Assistant Speake Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) and Representatives Deb Haaland (D-N.M.) and Xochitl Torres Small (D-N.M.) called on Nexstar and AT&T/DirecTV to restore access to critical news programs in New Mexico as the two companies continue negotiations.

In the letter to Nexstar Chief Executive Officer Perry Sook and AT&T/DirecTV Chief Executive Officer Randall Stephenson, Luján, Haaland and Torres Small criticized that ongoing negotiations have put their constituents at risk because of a loss of access to Read More

Valerie Plame Off To Strongest Start In New Mexico 3rd Congressional District Race

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 15, 2019

Valerie Plame

From the Valerie Plame For CD3 Campaign:

SANTA FE – Valerie Plame announces the strongest fundraising haul in the Democratic primary race for the New Mexico’s 3rd Congressional District, according to FEC filings.

Plame reports having raised $236,373.44 and received 3,889 individual donations. Her campaign reports that her average donation was just $60.78. Candidate filings were due today for the 2nd quarter, which covered April 1 to June 30.

Plame raised the most money for the quarter despite having announced her campaign roughly halfway through the quarter, Read More

Two Years After Nobel Laureate Liu Xiaobo’s Death, China Remains World’s Largest Prison Of Journalists

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 15, 2019

Courtesy/RSF

RSF News:

Two years after the death of Nobel Peace Prize and RSF Award laureate Liu Xiaobo while in detention, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates that China remains the largest prison in the world for defenders of free information.

As the world commemorates the second anniversary of the death of Nobel Peace Prize and RSF Award laureate Liu Xiaobo, whose cancer was left untreated in detention, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reiterates that China remains the biggest prison for journalists, with at least 112 of them behind bars.

“Despite the

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