County Message On Rabies And Skunk Activity
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County reports that the rabies virus is usually transmitted through a bite or scratches. Animals most likely to transmit rabies include bats, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and skunks. People are usually exposed to rabies by coming into contact with wild animals carrying the virus or through their pets, if they’ve encountered a rabid animal.
Avoiding the Risk of Rabies…
KEEP WILDLIFE WILD by keeping your distance. Never approach injured animals; instead, contact animal control for assistance at 505.662.8222, Read More
County Shares Importance Of Safe Disposal Of Hot Ashes
View of a residential roll cart in which hot ashes were placed, resulting in a curbside fire. Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County Environmental Services had an incident with a residential roll cart Thursday, Jan. 30, resulting in a curbside fire. The fire was caused by placing hot ashes into the trash cart on the day of service.
The Environmental Services Division would like to remind the community about the importance of safely disposing of hot ashes, especially during the colder winter months when many residents rely on gas furnaces, pellet stoves and fireplaces for heat.
“We are thankful Read More
Hiker, Writer, Cancer Fighter—Jeff Darren Muse Book Reading Of ‘Dear Park Ranger’ Feb. 16
Author Jeff Darren Muse book reading and signing of his book “Dear Park Ranger” in Santa Fe. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY News:
Author Jeff Darren Muse, a former wilderness ranger at Bandelier National Monument and REI Santa Fe employee who now battles brain cancer will do a book reading and signing about his adventurous, nationwide memoir from 2-3 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 16, at REI, 500 Market Street, Suite 100, Santa Fe, NM 87501.
A fatherless, childless Hoosier who wouldn’t and couldn’t stay put, Jeff Darren Muse has worked throughout the United States as an environmental educator, Read More
Daily Postcard: Pikas In Bandelier
Daily Postcard: The chances of being hunted by a pika are low, but never zero. Pikas are found in small, isolated colonies at the higher elevations of Bandelier National Monument. They live in volcanic boulder fields where they retreat to tunnels under the rocks for shelter and protection. They don’t hibernate. Instead, they stay active all winter long traveling in tunnels under the rocks and snow. Deep blankets of snow are important in helping pikas survive. If the snow is deep enough it provides insulation for the pikas living below. Too little snow and the pikas risk freezing to death. Read More
McQuiston: Mastering Winter Roads … Drive Smart, Stay Safe
By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963
Winter driving isn’t just about getting from point A to point B—it’s about surviving the battlefield of black ice, snowdrifts, and the occasional overconfident driver who thinks speed limits don’t apply in a blizzard. If you want to avoid spinning out like a figure skater on ice, here’s what you need to know.
1. Winter-Proof Your Ride
Your car isn’t invincible. Treat it like a winter warrior and prepare it for battle:
- Tires Matter – All-season tires are okay, but winter tires? They’re like strapping snow boots on your car instead
Ice Fishing Opens At Three New Mexico State Parks
New Mexico State Parks News:
SANTA FE – New Mexico State Parks announces the official opening of ice fishing season at Eagle Nest Lake, Fenton Lake and Sugarite Canyon State Parks.
Anglers eager to bundle up and cast a line can now enjoy this winter tradition—while taking precautions to stay safe on the ice.
“We welcome ice fishing enthusiasts to enjoy this winter fishing season. However, we ask that they take precautions to ensure that their outings are safe and enjoyable,” said Toby Velasquez, director for New Mexico State Parks.
Ice Fishing Guidelines & Safety Tips
- Foot traffic only – Motorized
EDD And GreenPower Motor Sign Agreement For Zero-Emission Pilot Program And Bus Service Facility
EDD News:
SANTA FE — The State of New Mexico and GreenPower Motor Company (NASDAQ: GP) entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) for an all-electric, purpose-built school bus pilot project to be conducted in New Mexico in school districts across the state. The MOU provides that the state will seek an appropriation of $5 million to conduct the pilot program.
The MOU was signed on Monday in the office of Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham by GreenPower President Brendan Riley and the Economic Development Department (EDD), which has been working with the company to find a service center facility Read More
Daily Postcard: Rare Butterfly Lands In Photographer’s Hand
Daily Postcard: Well here’s another rare one. It’s very unusual to see any butterfly in January (in Los Alamos anyway), but on top of that this species has only been recorded here a handful of times. This is a question mark (yes that’s the name!) Polygonia interrogationis spotted flying around during the warm afternoon Tuesday. It was on Iris Street near the YMCA. Question marks and other butterflies overwinter in dead leaves on the ground, another reason to let the leaves lay there until mid-May. This one landed right in the photographer’s hand. Photo by Michael Smith
A question mark butterfly Read More
Chickens Embrace Barn Cat In Beautiful Española Valley
Petra a barn cat relaxes peacefully with a chicken recently at a farm in the beautiful Española Valley. Photo by Liddie Martinez
Barn cat Petra rests in the nest of a chicken coop recently at a farm in the beautiful Española Valley. Photo by Liddie Martinez
Barn cat Petra lounges next to a chicken recently at a farm in the beautiful Española Valley. Photo by Liddie Martinez
Part of a flock of 30 chickens that have adopted a barn cat as one of their own recently at a farm in the beautiful Española Valley. Photo by Liddie Martinez Read More
Listening Session For The Artificial Turf Study Tomorrow
COUNTY News:
The second Public Listening Session for the ongoing Artificial Turf Study will take place from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 30, at Fuller Lodge.
This is a great opportunity for the community to ask questions and provide feedback on the study’s progress. For those who can’t attend in person, a Zoom link is available to participate virtually.
Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87957872336
The Artificial Turf Study, conducted by NV5, aims to develop recommendations for optimal field designs and alignments that comply with regulations set by the New Mexico Activities Read More
Daily Postcard: Cooper’s Hawk Returns To Pajarito Acres
Daily Postcard: A Cooper’s Hawk returns to visit the backyard of a residence Monday in Pajarito Acres in White Rock. Cooper’s Hawks fly with a flap-flap-glide pattern typical of accipiters. Even when crossing large open areas they rarely flap continuously. An attack maneuver is to fly fast and low to the ground, then up and over an obstruction to surprise prey on the other side.Cooper’s Hawks from western North America are substantially smaller (weighing around one-fifth less) than birds in the East. Source: allaboutbirds.org. Photo by Nancy Bartlit Read More
Daily Postcard: Hopping Mad At Festival Of The Cranes
Daily Postcard: An argument breaks out between two Cranes over a small patch of grain in December at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro. Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro, NM is an important wintering ground for vast flocks of Sandhill Cranes. Standing 4-feet-tall with wingspans of 7-and-a-half feet, these birds are the stars of the Refuge’s annual Festival of the Cranes celebration. The birds spend summers as far away as Alaska, northwest Canada, and the Pacific Northwest. Their migration through New Mexico follows the Rio Grande corridor. Overlook Read More
NMED: PFAS Contamination In New Mexico Wildlife Is Highest Ever Tested
PFAS-laden foams on the shores of Lake Holloman near Alamogordo and adjacent to White Sands National Park. Courtesy/NMED
NMED News:
- Health advisory recommends hunters seek blood testing
SANTA FE — Holloman Lake near White Sands National Park has recorded the highest levels of toxic PFAS contamination in wildlife and plants worldwide, according to a report released Monday by the New Mexico the Environment Department (NMED).
Holloman Lake near Alamogordo and adjacent to White Sands National Park serves as the wastewater reservoir for Holloman Air Force Base. The report’s findings reveal Read More
The Great Backyard Bird Count Feb. 14-17
GBBC News
Share in the joy of birds during the annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC) and help make your community stronger for you and the birds. Bird and nature lovers everywhere unite in the effort to tally as many of the world’s bird species as possible over these four days. Combined with other bird counts, GBBC results help create a clearer picture of how birds are faring—whether individual species are declining, increasing, or holding steady in the face of habitat loss, climate change, and other threats.
The 28th annual Great Backyard Bird Count is taking place Feb. 14-17, 2025.
“The Read More
Daily Postcard: Red Amaryllis In Full Bloom
Daily Postcard: An Amaryllis bulb purchased at Smith’s Grocery after the holidays is in full bloom at a residence Saturday in White Rock, with an additional sprout that may also bloom. The bulb will be recycled next year. Posts From The Road: Skyscapes
Sunset: Sunsets often fit into my definition of ‘skycapes’. We had stopped for the night near Douglas, Wyo. when the skies lit up at sunset and gave us a beautiful and colorful show. The sun’s colors reflecting from the clouds even reflected the golden hues onto the open field next to our campsite. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Cumulus: Cumulus clouds are the beautiful white puffy clouds that silently float through the sky above. These clouds give depth and interest to an otherwise clear blank sky. This photo shows several cumulus clouds as they fill the sky above the Navajo Nation in northern Read More
Weekly Fishing Report: Jan. 26, 2025
By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post
The snowpack in Northern New Mexico is 47-percent of normal. The weather forecast for this coming week includes some much-needed snow.
The Arctic Blast last week appears to be over. Temperatures can still plunge well-below zero in some of our high mountain valleys.
The Moreno Valley where Eagle Nest Lake is located is a prime example. Temperatures here can reach minus-15 or even lower. Angel Fire hit a low of -30 last week. Please dress warmly.
The record low temperature for New Mexico is -50 degrees in 1951 at Gavilan, a small community Read More
Tales Of Our Times: Optimizing The Use Of Low Cost Air Sensors
Tales Of Our Times
By JOHN BARTLIT
New Mexico Citizens
for Clean Air & Water
Optimizing The Use Of Low Cost Air Sensors
Notable remedies for public conflicts begin with new information. New approaches lead to better answers to perennial problems.
Yet, contentious times bring all manner of outcomes when we choose a topic and line up two speakers from different entities for a public program. Legions of talks set out to dispute contradictory facts. At the end, the dispute stands where it began. Loads of talks are pep talks for one side of an issue, which offer nothing new.
Talks that help a breadth Read More
Pajarito Mountain Slopes Open To Skiers Until 4PM Today
Skiers are taking advantage of blue skies and smooth slopes early this afternoon at Pajarito Mountain Ski Area, which is open until 4 p.m. today and Thursdays through Sundays into March. Find detailed hours of operation, snow conditions and more at pajarito.ski. Webcam photo Read More
Los Alamos National Laboratory: Artificial Intelligence Algorithms Used To Tune Particle Accelerators
LANL research and development engineer Alexander Scheinker and the project’s lead – shown here at the HiRES compact accelerator for ultrafast electron diffraction at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, for which AI tools are being developed. Courtesy/LANL
LANL News:
- Training data means real-time, effective tuning to ensure accelerator precision
Accelerators — machines that speed up particles such as protons — are useful in nuclear and high-energy physics as well as materials science, dynamic imaging and even isotope production for cancer therapy. A Los Alamos National Laboratory-led Read More
