Political News - Los Alamos Daily Post

Constitution Day Essay Winners Honored

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 22, 2015

From left, essay contest winners Jack Ammerman, Audrey Nolan, Philippa Fung and Jenny Wang with West Virginia House Rep. Saira Blair. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

The Republican Party of Los Alamos and the Los Alamos Federated Republican Women hosted a Constitution Day Essay Contest and invited the winners to recite their essay at the annual Constitution Day Dinner held Saturday at the Los Alamos Golf Course Community Building.

Winners include:

High School – Jenny Wang;
Middle School – Audrey Nolan;
Elementary School – Philippa Fung; and
Honorable

NM Testimony At Joint Congressional Hearing Reveals EPA Misled With Incomplete, Cherry-Picked Data

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 22, 2015

New Mexico Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn

NMED News:

SANTA FE – At Thursday’s Joint Congressional Hearing for Natural Resources and Oversight & Government Reform, New Mexico Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn clarified numerous discrepancies from testimony made earlier in the day by the Environmental Protection Agency, including the agency’s summary-level, cherry-picked data that sought to downplay the severity of the Gold King Mine spill.

Flynn testified that the EPA neglected to include a key contaminant, arsenic, among the data supplied. Nor did EPA include total metals (just Read More

Heinrich Says New Mexico Can’t Afford Another Government Shutdown

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 21, 2015

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

WASHINGTON, D.C. – With only nine days until the until the current fiscal year ends, U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. calls on lawmakers to skip the political gamesmanship and instead begin bipartisan budget negations to keep the federal government open and end the devastating, across-the-board budget cuts known as sequestration.

“The government shutdown in 2013 hit New Mexico hard and had very real consequences for our workforce. We can’t afford another manufactured crisis,” Heinrich said. “The politics and showmanship Read More

RPLA/LAFRW Host Youngest Legislator In U.S.

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 21, 2015

West Virginia House Rep. Saira Blair, 18, speaks with community youth and adults and Republican Party members Saturday afternoon at UNM-LA. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

From left, Rep. Saira Blair, RPLA Chair Bill McKerley and LAFRW President Bethany Douglas at Saturday’s event at UNM-LA. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

West Virginia House Rep. Saira Blair speaks with local youth during her Meet & Greet event at UNM-LA. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

The Republican Party of Los Alamos and the Los Alamos Federated

Heinrich Calls For Reforms To Mining Law In Environment And Public Works Hearing On Recent Spill

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 20, 2015

SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. spoke at a U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works (EPW) oversight hearing Wednesday on the Gold King Mine spill that occurred last month.

The committee examined the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) response to the accident, which caused a large plume of bright orange toxic waste to spill into the Animas and San Juan Rivers and pollute the Four Corners region, and the subsequent impact it had on the environment and economies of local states, communities, and Indian

New Mexico State Legislature Receives National Award For Improvements Made To Tax Policy

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 19, 2015

STATE News:

SANTA FE ― The New Mexico State Legislature was awarded the Property Tax Achievement Award by the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO) for an outstanding contribution to the improvement of property tax administration and tax policy during the 2015 Legislative Session.

IAAO is a nonprofit, educational, and research association founded in 1934 that is comprised of government assessment officials and others interested in the administration of property tax policy.

Define Agricultural Use for Property Tax (SB 112) and Disabled

Outstanding High School Students Encouraged To Apply For Highly Competitive Senate Youth Program

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 19, 2015

SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich encourage outstanding New Mexico high school juniors and seniors to apply for the highly competitive United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP).

Two New Mexico students will be selected to join 102 other delegates at the program’s 54th annual Washington Week from March 5-12, 2016. During their all expenses paid trip, New Mexico’s representatives will learn about the workings of the U.S.

Senate and federal government. Additionally, each selected participant will

Energy Department Announces $102 Million To Tackle Solar Challenges, Expand Access To Clean Electricity

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 19, 2015

DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Building on President Obama’s Climate Action Plan to cut climate-changing carbon pollution and continue building a clean energy economy in the United States, the Energy Department announced more than $102 million in new projects and available funding to support American leadership in clean energy innovation.

More than $52 million will support 22 new projects in partnership with companies, non-profit organizations, universities, and national laboratories that aim to make solar energy more affordable and accessible across the

Clean-water Groups Respond To Ryan Flynn’s Congressional Testimony

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 19, 2015

CVNM News:

New Mexico Environment Secretary Ryan Flynn testified in front of the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday regarding August’s Gold King Mine spill in the Animas River, promoting New Mexico’s management of natural resources.

But Flynn’s actions at the Environment Department have put New Mexico in greater danger of such water-contamination disasters in the future.

“The Animas River toxic spill provides an opportunity for Ryan Flynn and the state of New Mexico government to re-evaluate their neglect of, and indifference to, the need for stringent environmental regulations Read More

Meet & Greet West Virginia State Delegate Saira Blair At UNM-LA Sept. 19

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 19, 2015

Saira Blair, West Virginia State Delegate

COMMUNITY News:

Meet the nation’s youngest elected state official, West Virginia State Delegate Saira Blair 1-3 p.m., Saturday Sept. 19, at the UNM-LA Student Center, Bldg 2, for “meet and greet” with free refreshments.

Blair won her primary election at the age of 17 (before she could even vote) and beat an incumbent. She went on to win the general election by a 63 percent margin over her competitor, all while a student at WVU and running her campaign out of her dorm room.

This is a great

AFT New Mexico Celebrates Introduction Of Senate Bill To Repeal Healthcare ‘Cadillac Tax’

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 18, 2015

AFTNM President Stephanie Ly

AFTNM News:

ALBUQUERQUE – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico President Stephanie Ly released the following statement:

“Working New Mexicans can be proud of Sen. Heinrich and his bi-partisan efforts to repeal the regressive healthcare ‘Cadillac Tax’ from the Affordable Care Act.

“As a union who represents thousands of educators across New Mexico, and often negotiates aspects of healthcare coverage, we’re intimately familiar with the fight to ensure all New Mexicans have the best healthcare access possible at the lowest out-of-pocket Read More

September Is National Preparedness Month: Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 18, 2015

FEMA News:

DENTON, Texas ― “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.”

That’s the message emergency managers are sharing with people all over New Mexico and beyond during the month of September.

September is National Preparedness Month and the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Region 6 Office is urging everyone to take steps to make a plan and know what to do during an emergency.

Whether you deal with the possible threats of flooding, wildfires, hurricanes or power outages, the preparedness steps to take are the same.

Udall At EPW Hearing: New Mexicans Deserve Compensation, Long-Term Plan For Gold King Mine Spill

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 18, 2015

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall

SENATE News:

WASHINGTON ― During a hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works Thursday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall called for action to help communities affected by the Gold King Mine wastewater spill into the Animas and San Juan rivers.

Udall discussed confusion and mistakes made by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) during the immediate aftermath of the spill, and committed to introducing two bills to help Northwestern New Mexico recover and help prevent another disastrous mine spill.

NNSA: Last HEU Removed From Switzerland

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 18, 2015

DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration (DOE/NNSA), working in collaboration with the Government of Switzerland, announced that approximately 2.2 kilogram of U.S.-origin highly enriched uranium (HEU) has been returned from the University of Basel in Switzerland to the United States.

The HEU is from AGN-211-P research reactor, which commenced operation in 1961 using U.S.-origin HEU Material Test Reactor (MTR)-type fuel.

The reactor was operated for decades by the University of Basel

Energy Department Announces $70 Million For Innovation Institute On Smart Manufacturing

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 18, 2015

DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The Department of Energy announced Wednesday $70 million in funding for the next Clean Energy Manufacturing Innovation Institute, which will be focused on smart manufacturing.

With this investment, the Department aims to support research and development advancements that can reduce the cost of deployment for technologies such as advanced sensors, controls, platforms, and modeling for manufacturing by as much as 50 percent.

As part of President Obama’s National Network of Manufacturing Innovation Institutes (NNMI), the institute

The Role Of The Sheriff In Los Alamos County

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 17, 2015

By PETE SHEEHEY
Los Alamos County Councilor

Two months ago, the Santa Fe County Sheriff’s office offered Los Alamos County Sheriff Marco Lucero a surplus Ford Explorer police vehicle to use in his duties as Sheriff.

The Sheriff does a fair amount of driving using his own car (for which he is reimbursed) and sometimes County Motor Pool vehicles. The County Council (against my and Councilor (James) Chrobocinski’s votes) at this year’s budget hearing had declined his request to buy a new vehicle for him, which I considered at the time to be a cost-saving measure. Accepting Read More

Secretary Moniz Unveils Roadmap To Double U.S. Energy Productivity By 2030

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 16, 2015

DOE Secretary Ernest Moniz

DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― In support of the President’s goal to double U.S. energy productivity by 2030, Secretary Ernest Moniz unveiled a strategic plan today laying out a path businesses, state and local governments, consumers and other stakeholders can use to achieve this goal.

The report, Accelerate Energy Productivity 2030: A Strategic Roadmap for American Energy Innovation, Economic Growth, and Competitiveness, identifies proven and effective strategies and actions to advance energy efficiency.

Udall, Tester, Lujan Grisham Announce Bill To Help Tribes Fight Child Hunger

Submitted by Chris Clark on September 16, 2015

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Today, U.S. Sens. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), along with U.S. Rep. Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-N.M.), announced that they have introduced legislation to streamline and expand access to federal school breakfast and lunch, summer feeding and other meal services by allowing Tribes to participate directly in these programs.

Native American children suffer from food insecurity and obesity at rates twice the national average, but too often aren’t able to access important hunger

District Court Testimony Begins Wednesday On Preliminary Injunction Pausing High-stakes Testing In Evaluation Of Education Professionals

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 15, 2015

AFT NM News:

SANTA FE – American Federation of Teachers New Mexico and the Albuquerque Teachers Federation’s District Court lawsuit against the New Mexico Public Education Department advances as Wednesday’s hearing commences a motion for a preliminary injunction.

This lawsuit seeks to provide relief to educators across New Mexico by pausing, and eventually seeking to prevent the use of high-stakes testing in the evaluation of education professionals.

It is the belief of AFT NM and ATF that the current evaluation system, imposed by Public Education Department rule, is unsound, Read More

Rep. Luján Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on September 15, 2015

U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján delivers a speech honoring Hispanic Heritage Month. Courtesy image

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

SANTA FE – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following video in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated Sept. 15 to Oct. 15.

“Hi I’m Congressman Ben Ray Luján. In communities across the country, Americans are coming together to celebrate the enduring contributions of the Hispanic community as we mark the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. Every year from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, we take time to reflect on the important role that Read More

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