Letter To The Editor: The Real Issue … RISK
By KEN MILDERWhile I understand how Terry Goldman (letter) might interpret Jaret McDonald’s column as a vendetta against the current sheriff, I don’t see it that way. The real issue is the risk to the County of having a sheriff’s office. I addressed this in my Sept. 15, 2015 column in the Los Alamos Daily Post but will expand, here.
Although the County Council has made admirable and appropriate efforts to convince the sheriff that he limit his activities to those permitted in the County Charter, the Council, itself, has limitations to its control Read More
Udall, Heinrich Hail Senate Passage Of Protect Patrimony Resolution
SENATE News:U.S. And Chinese Drug Enforcement Agencies Meet On Synthetic Opioid Efforts
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Administrator Chuck Rosenberg New Mexico Delegation Supports Navajo Nation’s Request For Disaster Declaration
NM CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION News:Letter To The Editor: This Smacks Of Vendetta
By TERRY GOLDMANJaret McDonald displays the significantly foolish over-reaction of too many of our current County Councilors (letter). He states that he favors a County Sheriff position, having been one himself, but: “The current Sheriff, Marco Lucero, has consistently tried to increase the role of the office beyond what the Charter established.”
The foolish over-reaction is to ‘solve’ this problem by abolishing the office. Yet the Council has control over it and the current Sheriff is term-limited and will leave office soon. All the Council has to do is be firm in limiting the
McDonald: Nothing Inconsistent In My Views Regarding Office Of The Sheriff
By JARET MCDONALD, candidate
Los Alamos County Council
I have been criticized for stating that I will vote to eliminate the Office of Sheriff in Los Alamos County. People have criticized me for this because I ran for the office in 2014. I ran because I wanted to fulfill the duties of Sheriff as defined in the Charter of Los Alamos County.
The current Sheriff, Marco Lucero, has consistently tried to increase the role of the office beyond what the Charter established.
On Sept. 15, County Council Vice Chair Susan O’Leary, wrote about this concern in the Los Alamos Daily Post (link). The following Read More
House Judiciary Committee Approves Legislation To Reinstate Death Penalty
News From The Special Legislative Session:
The House Judiciary Committee of the New Mexico Legislature approved legislation Friday evening to reinstate the death penalty in New Mexico for those who murder law enforcement officers, corrections officers or children.
The legislation, House Bill 7, is sponsored by Rep. Monica Youngblood and Rep. Andy Nuñez.
“The death penalty is a fitting punishment for the monsters that murder innocent children,” Youngblood said. “It gives prosecutors another option to use while they seek the justice these children deserve.”
“Too many law enforcement Read More
Legislation To Strengthen ‘Three Strikes Law’ Passes House Judiciary
STATE NEWS:
SANTA FE – The House Judiciary Committee passed Rep. Paul Pacheco and Rep. John Zimmerman’s bill to reform New Mexico’s “Three Strikes Law”.
HB 5, also know as “Lilly’s Law”, was approved by a bipartisan vote of 8 to 4. The legislation would expand the list of violent felony crimes that would make an offender eligible for mandatory life sentencing. No defendant has been convicted under the current law because the list of crimes included in the law is extremely narrow.
Pacheco and Zimmerman’s bill would expand the list of offenses to include crimes in which the perpetrator exhibits Read More
House Minority Leader Stresses No Cuts For Kids
Democrats gather at a press conference this morning at the Roundhouse in Santa Fe including Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard, D-Los Alamos, Santa Fe, Sandoval and Rio Arriba, to listen as House Minority Leader Brian Egolf stresses the importance of not cutting services to New Mexico’s children through cuts in education or social services. The Special Session of the New Mexio Legislature got underway at noon today. Courtesy photoGovernor Issues Proclamation For Special Session To Begin At Noon Today
STATE News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez has issued the following proclamation calling for a Special Session of the Legislature to begin at noon today:
WHEREAS, ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO PROVIDES THAT SPECIAL SESSIONS OF THE LEGISLATURE MAY BE CALLED BY THE GOVERNOR;
WHEREAS, ARTICLE IV, SECTION 6 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF NEW MEXICO FURTHER PROVIDES THAT NO BUSINESS SHALL BE TRANSACTED EXCEPT SUCH AS RELATES TO OBJECTS SPECIFIED IN THE PROCLAMATION ISSUED BY THE GOVERNOR;
WHEREAS, IMMEDIATE CONSIDERATION OF ISSUES CRITICAL TO THE ECONOMIC HEALTH, Read More
Stover: Let’s Rise Above Partisanship To Do What’s Best For New Mexico Students
By Sharon StoverThe issue of adjunct teachers should not be partisan or divisive. I am disappointed by the recent acrimony surrounding this straightforward idea.
Earlier this year, I listened to Dr. Kurt Steinhaus, Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) superintendent, speak about the adjunct teacher proposal that was offered during the 2016 Legislative Session. Dr. Steinhaus supported the idea of adjunct teachers to tap the local expertise of scientists and engineers in our community and to strengthen the relationship between the Los Read More
DA Candidate Hosts Appreciation Lunch For Police And First Responders Sunday
SGR: How Are The Children?
By Rep. STEPHANIE GARCIA RICHARDAs a mother, I am heart broken by the senseless tragedies plaguing our state. As a Legislator, I am outraged by the repeated lack of action that has now led to the deaths of two young children and multiple police officers.
Within the next few days, Governor Martinez will call a special session to deal with the projected $500 million budget deficit and a few ‘tough on crime’ pieces of legislation. Although her actions are politically motivated, we should take this opportunity
Sierra Club Chair On PNM Rate Case Decision
Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Chair David Coss
SIERRA CLUB News:
The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission decided Wednesday on PNM’s request for an increase to electric rates. Below is the statement on the decision from Sierra Club Rio Grande Chapter Chair David Coss:
Today’s decision held good news and bad news for ratepayers and a healthy climate.
While PNM got its way on making consumers pay for its poor decision to reinvest in coal, the commission prevented PNM from punishing ratepayers with significantly higher service fees, and we customers won’t have to foot the bill for the Read More
Special Session Alert: Educators Are Petitioning For Students To Be Protected From Budget Cuts
NEA-New Mexico News:
Education employees throughout New Mexico are collecting petition signatures ahead of the Special Session of the Legislature and Friday morning NEA-New Mexico will present those petition signatures to the Governor and Chairman Larry Larranaga of the House Finance Committee and Chairman John Smith of the Senate Finance Committee.
The petition reads as follows:
AS YOU WORK TO RESOLVE THE STATE BUDGET CRISIS, make no more cuts to public schools and higher education. As educators, we are all committed to the success of every student. The success of New Mexico Read More
Presidential Proclamation: Death Of Shimon Peres
Shimon Peres
From the Office of the President:
Shimon Peres, one of the last surviving members of Israel’s founding generation who during his long career served as the nation’s defense minister, minister of foreign affairs, prime minister and president has died at 93.
President Barack Obama has issued the following proclamation:
BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION
As a mark of respect for the memory of Shimon Peres, former President and Prime Minister of Israel, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, Read More
Heinrich, Collins Introduce Two-Generation Economic Empowerment Act
SENATE News:Secretary Of Defense Reviews Plutonium Operations At Los Alamos National Laboratory
U.S. Secretary of Defense, Ash Carter, center, Los Alamos National Laboratory Director Charlie McMillan, right and Bob Webster, Principal Associate Director for Weapons Programs, today in the pit casting area of the Laboratory’s Plutonium Facility 4 (PF-4), the nation’s only plutonium science, technology and manufacturing center. ‘A strong plutonium science and manufacturing capability is essential to the U.S. nuclear deterrent and cannot be underestimated,’ Carter said. ‘I want to express my sincere appreciation for the difficult and vitally important work done Read More
A Teacher’s Simple Plea To Legislators, Parents, Students And My Community
By HEIDI SCHEMBRIMy name is Heidi Schembri, and I have been teaching for 15 years in Los Alamos Public Schools. I love my profession and have had the honor to work with many wonderful children, parents, school employees and community members.
Over the last several years, there has been much controversy over the new teacher evaluation system. Our current New Mexico teacher evaluation system rates teachers on the following criteria: “Each category is weighted according to the amount of student achievement data available for the teacher. Improved student achievement is worth from Read More
Governor: 135 Arrested In Child Support Roundup
STATE News:
- Effort Collects More Than $64,000 in Unpaid Child Support
SANTA FE – Today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced that law enforcement arrested 135 parents who failed to pay child support during an annual sting.
In addition, through the amnesty period allowing parents to come forward and pay child support debt – and the subsequent roundup – the Human Services Department collected $64,310.
“This program ensures that we hold parents accountable when they fail to do their duty and support their children,” Martinez said. “We’re working to make New Mexico the best place to be a kid, and the roundup Read More
