Political News

Annual Benefit Basketball Game Helps New Mexicans

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 24, 2017
Check presentation. Courtesy photo
 
SPORTS News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― The New Mexico Senate “Lobos” tip off against the House of Representatives “Aggies” on Wednesday, March 1, at Santa Fe High School.
 
The hotly-contested game is a fun event for those on the court, on the bench and in the stands. But everyone knows that the real opponent is cancer.
 
The annual game is an important source of private donations for The University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center. Over the past six years, it has raised more than $100,000.
 
“The proceeds
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Yang: Fact, Truth, Reality … Which One Is Debatable?

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 24, 2017
​By ELENA YANG
Former Los Alamos Resident
  • Author’s note: In one of my last columns of 2016, I mentioned that the Los Alamos Daily Post graciously invited me to submit my writing whenever the mood seizes me. So, I am back, more or less, less on a weekly basis, more as an irregular presence.
 
A child asks mom, “what is that man doing?” Mom says, “He’s entertaining.” Child, “No, what is he doing?” Mom, “He’s performing.” Child gasped, “But what is he doing?” Mom tries again, “He’s making people smile.” Child continues, “But what is he doing?” Mom finally
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NMVC On Indiscriminate Immigrant Raids

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 24, 2017
NMVC News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE — James Jimenez, executive director of New Mexico Voices for Children, issued the following statement regarding the recent immigration raids in southern New Mexico:
 
“We are disturbed at the news of immigration raids in southern New Mexico and urge immigration officials to keep the best interests of all of our children and families at heart going forward.
 
“As a nation built on ingenuity, America can craft common-sense reforms to our immigration system that improve our economy and keep us safe while maintaining our American values of inclusion and
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Governor Signs Emergency Funding For Courts

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 24, 2017

STATE News:

SANTA FE – Today Gov. Susana Martinez signed into law House Bill 261 sponsored by Rep. Nate Gentry (R-Bernalillo) and Rep. Zachary Cook (R-Lincoln and Otero), House Speaker Brian Egolf (D-Santa Fe) and Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto (D-Bernalillo).

The new law appropriates critical emergency funding for New Mexico’s judiciary system by providing $80,000 to the Supreme Court and $1.6 million to the Administrative Office of the Courts’ Jury and Witness fund to prevent anticipated FY 2017 budget shortfalls in those entities.

“Justice Charles Daniels alerted us to the grave funding situation Read More

State Senate Unanimously Confirms Butch Tongate Secretary Of New Mexico Environment Department

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 23, 2017
NMED News:
 
SANTA FE — Secretary Designate Butch Tongate has been confirmed unanimously by the Senate as Secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department.
 
Tongate, who has worked at the Environment Department since 1993, was appointed Deputy Secretary in 2011.
 
“I’m proud to have Butch lead this department, which is so important to present and future generations of New Mexicans,” Gov. Susana Martinez said. “As a 23-year veteran of the Environment Department and an integral part of our team since the beginning of the Administration, Secretary Tongate knows what
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Bills To Attract, Retain Good Teachers Pass House

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 23, 2017
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― Tuesday, two bills that aim to ensure New Mexico attracts and retains good teachers by improving teacher evaluations and recognizing teacher skill and competency passed the House.
 
Rep. Debra Sariñana’s (D-Albuquerque) bill, HB 163, makes teacher evaluations more fair by ensuring a teacher’s evaluation is not disproportionately affected by students who have too many absences. The second bill introduced by Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton’s (D-Albuquerque), HB 124, provides a three-tier framework for teachers to advance to level II and level
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Common Cause Gerrymander Report Out As HJR 3 Redistricting Goes To Committee

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 23, 2017
CCNM News:
 
A constitutional amendment to establish an independent redistricting commission will be heard in a House committee Thursday, just as Common Cause New Mexico releases Restoring Voter Choice: How Citizen-Led Redistricting Can End the Manipulation of Our Elections, a report about the 2016 election completed by Common Cause nationally.
 
New Mexico is cited as one of eight states where the outcome of the election—and the composition of the legislature—was already determined before any votes were cast.
 
Approximately 62% of legislative races in
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Los Alamos School Board Extends Superintendent Dr. Kurt Steinhaus’ Contract Maximum Allowed By Law

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 23, 2017

Superintendent Dr. Kurt Steinhaus

 

By KIRSTEN LASKEY

Los Alamos Daily Post

 

The Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) Board of Education unanimously renewed Superintendent Dr. Kurt Steinhaus’ contract for three more years, which is the maximum amount of time allowed by state law.

 

The decision to extend the contract occurred during the Feb. 14 regular school board meeting. In addition to extending his contract, the board offered Steinhaus a raise identical to the amount offered to all other staff. His new salary will be determined after the state legislature makes decisions Read More

NM House Passes Revenue And Budget Bills

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 23, 2017

STATE News:

SANTA Fe – Wednesday evening, the New Mexico House of Representatives passed both a new revenue package and a budget for fiscal year 2018. Taken together, the two bills will allow New Mexico to have a balanced budget and raise cash reserves to a respectable 3.2 percent.
 

HB 202 comprised of a package of provisions to raise new money for the state to mitigate and avoid further devastating cuts to education, Medicaid, and other critical areas. Budget predictions from the nonpartisan Legislative Finance Committee project a $120 to $125 million hole for fiscal year 2018.

The new Read More

Democratic Party Of Los Alamos Holds County Convention March 20 At UNM-LA

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 23, 2017

DPLA News:

The Democratic Party of Los Alamos will hold its Democratic County Convention at 6 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2017 at UNM-Los Alamos, Building 5 (Wallace Hall), 4000 University Dr. in Los Alamos, NM.

Each Ward will elect a Ward Chair, Ward Vice-Chair and additional County Central Committee members.

The County Central Committee will elect the County Chair, County Vice-Chair and two State Central Committee members. State Central Committee (SCC) members will attend the SCC meeting Saturday, April 29, 2017 in Albuquerque.

The County Credentials and Rules Revision Committee meets Read More

Letter To The Editor: Straight Scoop On HB50

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 23, 2017
By JOHN N. HORNE
Los Alamos

Dist. 43 Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of Los Alamos is up to those old tired political tricks again. In order to bolster support for HB50, Ms. Garcia Richard jumped at the opportunity to have her picture taken with a shooting victim and then imply her bill will solve all the world’s ills regarding gun violence.

The fact of the matter is there is nothing in HB50 that would’ve had any bearing on the (Former U.S. Rep. Gabby) Giffords’ shooting. The perpetrator, Jared Lee Laughner, purchased his gun legally at a Sportsman’s Warehouse and passed the FBI NICS screening Read More

Professor Emerita Denise Fort: How Can U.S. Retain Scientific Leadership In Environmental Protection?

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 23, 2017
By DENISE D. FORT
Professor Emerita UNM School of Law
Former director, NM Environmental Improvement Division
 
The upheaval in Washington, D.C. that is occurring now has one surprising objective – the discrediting of scientists. Science is under attack in numerous ways.
 
The assertion that climate change is a Chinese hoax was bad enough. Now the Administration has nominated a climate denier to head the EPA, taken down web pages that inform the public about agency work, and threatened to slash funding at EPA.
 
The threat comes from the Congress
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Update On Pursuit Of USS Los Alamos

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on February 23, 2017

James Nesmith testifying Dec. 15, 2015 to Los Alamos County Council. Courtesy photo

COMMUNITY News:

On Dec. 15, 2015, the Los Alamos County Council unanimously passed and adopted a resolution endorsing the naming of a United States Navy Submarine as the U.S.S. Los Alamos. 

That was the beginning of an intensive yearlong effort by the USS Los Alamos Commissioning Committee to gather documentation from across the state substantiating the wide spread support for our effort.

In that year, memorials were passed by both houses of the State legislature, and letters of support were obtained Read More

VIDEO: Udall Urges Senate To Reject Nomination Of Friedman For Ambassador To Israel

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 22, 2017
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — At a recent hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall urged senators to reject the nomination of David Friedman to be U.S. Ambassador to Israel.
 
 
Udall questioned Friedman on his litany of well-documented, extreme, and inflammatory positions and statements maligning members of the Senate, the Obama administration, and other public officials. Below is the text of Udall’s opening statement as prepared for delivery:
 
“Mr.
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Udall On Trump’s Plans For Mass Deportation

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 22, 2017
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall released the following statement in response to recently released memos from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security establishing new guidelines for carrying out President Trump’s immigration orders:
 
“President Trump’s guidelines amount to a plan to begin mass deportations. These plans are unrealistic, inhumane, bad for the economy, and an extremely inefficient use of already thin resources. And while the president’s team told the media that they are trying to prevent ‘panic’ over this new policy,
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Sig Hecker To Address Nuclear North Korea, Moderated By Valerie Plame Thursday

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 22, 2017
CIR News:
 
Sig Hecker, Stanford University Research Professor and Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Emeritus will offer his thoughts and opinions on the timely topic of “Nuclear North Korea and Lessons for the Iran Deal.” 
 
His talk is 5:50 p.m., Thursday at the Santa Fe Center for Spiritual Living, 505 Camino de Los Marquez.
 
Dr. Hecker is an internationally recognized expert in plutonium science, global threat reduction and nuclear security. His presentation will be moderated by Valerie Plame, former career covert CIA operations
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‘No Border Wall’ Bill Passes House Committee

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 22, 2017
STATE News:
 
SANTA FE ― House Bill 292, which would bar the federal government from using state lands to build a wall on New Mexico’s border with Mexico, has passed the House Government, Indian and Veterans Affairs Committee (HGIVC) in a partisan 5-4 vote.
 
In an impassioned debate, the bill’s sponsors, Representatives Bill McCamley (D-Mesilla Park), Angelica Rubio (D-Las Cruces), Javier Martinez (D-Albuquerque) and Linda Trujillo (D-Santa Fe), stated that a wall divides communities, destabilizes trade with Mexico, runs contrary to New Mexico’s core values,
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Letter To The Editor: House Bill 50

Submitted by Chris Clark on February 22, 2017
By JODY BENSON
Los Alamos
 
House Bill 50: Relating To Crime; Requiring Criminal Background Checks On Gun Transfers Between Certain Persons; Providing Exceptions; Providing Penalties Khal Spencer’s excellent OpEd on House Bill 50—the proposed background check for all gun sales including online sales and at gun shows—offered statistics and arguments about why we should support a background check bill.
His bottom line? Support a background-check bill—but not this one.
 
I completely agree with his argument that people murdering other people
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