‘Stars And Sweets’ Night Sky Event At Valles Caldera July 5
A night sky viewing, ‘Stars and Sweets’ is 7-11:45 p.m. July 5 at Valles Caldera National Preserve. Courtesy/NPS
NPS News:
The National Park Service (NPS) invites everyone to visit Valles Caldera National Preserve on the evening of July 5 for a special night sky viewing event, “Stars and Sweets”.
The event runs 7-11:45 p.m. and includes special ranger programs, cultural performances from local pueblo communities, telescope viewing thanks to local astronomy clubs, and pastries and night sky items for sale.
“As an International Dark Sky Park, Valles Caldera has some of the best dark skies in Read More
SFNF Closes Roads Due To Storm Impacts
SFNF News:
SANTA FE — The Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) has closed roads in several Districts due to impacts from recent heavy rainfall.
SFNF District Rangers make decisions to close roads based on the safety of our visitors, local communities, and employees, and to protect natural and cultural resources.
The impacted roads are listed below by District.
Española District:
- FR 144 – Closed from Española to the junction with FR 27.
Jemez District:
- FR 376 from the gate north of the Gilman Tunnels to Mile Marker 4.
The SFNF reminds visitors to please not drive around barricades or cross flooded roadways. Read More
New Mexico’s Acequia Heritage Online Lecture July 3
Book Cover. Courtesy/UNM Press, 2023
NMHM News:
Friends of History First Wednesday Lecture Series will feature professors and co-authors Enrique R. Lamadrid and José A. Rivera online noon to 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 3.
They will discuss their 2023 edited book Water for the People, which features 25 essays by world-renowned acequia scholars and community members that highlight acequia culture, use and history in New Mexico, northern Mexico, Chile, Peru, Argentina, Spain, the Middle East, Nepal and the Philippines, situating New Mexico’s acequia heritage and its inherent sustainable design Read More
Daily Postcard: Hail Falls During Storm Near White Rock
Daily Postcard: Hail falls during storm Wednesday near White Rock. Photo by VaLynn Purvis Read More
Free Concert Series: Songs Of Summer With Hummingbird Camp Students At Jemez Historic Site
Jemez Historic Site News:
Jemez Historic Site is partnering with Hummingbird Music Camp to offer summer youth concerts on Saturday evenings through July 27.
What: Enjoy a free concert series performed by campers from Hummingbird Music Camp every Saturday evening through July 27 at Jemez Historic Site. This event is free and open to the public, as well as to campers’ family members.
Hummingbird Music Camp is a week-long summer sleep-away camp in Jemez Springs for children 8-14 years old. Campers receive daily private lessons on an instrument and participate in group rehearsals and concerts. Read More
Los Alamos County Seeks Applicants To Fill Four Vacancies On Environmental Sustainability Board
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County is seeking dedicated individuals to fill four seats on the Environmental Sustainability Board. The term for these positions is two years, running Aug. 1, 2024, through July 31, 2026. Members may serve up to two terms. Meetings are 5:30 p.m. on the third Thursday of the month at the Municipal Building, 1000 Central Ave.
This Board plays a key role in advising the County Council on environmental sustainability issues.
Application process:
- Interested Los Alamos residents must complete an online application on the Boards & Commissions web page. Select the
State Engineer On U.S. Supreme Court Rejection Of Special Master In Texas v. New Mexico Water Case
State Engineer Mike Hamman
From the Office of the State Engineer:
SANTA FE – State Engineer Mike Hamman on Friday issued a statement upon learning the U.S. Supreme Court rejected the recommendation of the Special Master in the Texas v. New Mexico water case to enter the Consent Decree submitted by New Mexico, Texas and Colorado over the division of Rio Grande water south of Elephant Butte dam.
“We are disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court has remanded the case back to the Court’s Special Master for further proceedings,” State Engineer Mike Hamman said. “We need to keep working to make the aquifers Read More
Coronado Historic Site Hosts Extended Hours, Ranger Tours, Children’s Activities At Monthly Dawn To Dusk Day
Coronado Historic Site News:
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- New Mexicans Receive Free Admission at Coronado Historic Site’s Dawn to Dusk Day
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Coronado Historic Site (link) offers extended hours from dawn until dusk, 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., on the First Sunday of each month beginning July 7, to allow visitors an opportunity to see the site at these beautiful times of day.
The early mornings are a great time to see a multitude of different birds, while the evenings offer unparalleled views of the Sandia Mountains glowing pink at sunset. Activities for people of all ages are available throughout the day.
First Sundays are free to all Read More
Spots Still Open For Weeks 4 & 6 Of YESCorps Program
Y News:
Registration spots are still open for YESCorps weeks 4 and 6. Participants will learn by doing, make new friends and have fun.
Activities planned for those two weeks include:
- Backpacking/orienteering training;
- Trips to Valles Caldera National Monument;
- PEEC gardening projects; and
- YCC trail work experience.
On the Fun Fridays, participants will get to play frisbee golf, BBQ and other games at North Mesa Picnic Grounds for one Friday and do the climbing wall and Lu Games for the second Friday.
Week 4 will be discounted to $30 for the shortened week.
Visit the YMCA website for more details Read More
Heinrich Bill To Extend Federal Programs To Support Fire Departments Including Los Alamos County Passes Senate
U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) applauded Senate passage of his bipartisan Fire Grants and Safety Act, legislation to extend federal programs that help support local fire departments in Los Alamos County, throughout New Mexico and across the country.
The bill would reauthorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program and the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) program through 2030 and the United States Fire Administration (USFA) through 2028.
The Read More
Daily Postcard: Light Reflections Around Urban Park
Daily Postcard: Multiple light sources are spotted Sunday night around Urban Park. The moon lights up the clouds from behind as lights from the townsite illuminate in amber in front from below. The two glowing shapes in the near distance are incandescent lights from the restrooms. The red band of light in the distance is car taillights on North Road. Photo by Patrick Dailey Wolf Read More
Sterna: Understanding ‘Ready’ In ‘Ready, Set, Go!’
By KELLY STERNA
Wildland Division Chief
Los Alamos Fire Department
Wildfire season is here, posing a significant risk to our scenic Los Alamos community, nestled amidst natural forests and mountainous terrains. While a paradise for many of us, this landscape also heightens our wildfire risk. Our community needs to be in a constant “Ready” state due to its geography and history of wildfires. Citizens should always be aware of local fire weather forecasts, local fire information, and most importantly, their “Ready” status.
Currently, New Mexico has two active wildland fires: the Indios Read More
Gibson: Electric Rates – Past, Present And Future
By ROBERT GIBSON
Chair
Board of Public Utilities
The electricity commodity rate (cost per kilowatt-hour) for retail Los Alamos customers was increased 9% last October. It will increase another 9% this July. These hikes seem steep, but are the first since February 2015.
In that time, the most familiar measure of inflation, the consumer price index (CPI), has increased about 34%. Adjusted for inflation, our electric rate will have gone DOWN 16% in that time.
Looking even further back, our electric rates have increased less than inflation at least since 1998.
Electric bills also include a service Read More
Daily Postcard: Yucca Decorates Garden On Aragon Avenue
Daily Postcard: A yucca with tall blooms decorates the garden of a residence Wednesday on Aragon Avenue in White Rock. Photo by VaLynn Purvis Read More
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham Formally Requests Major Disaster Declaration For New Mexico Wildfires
Figure 1: South Fork / Salt Fire Burn Scar Map as of June 18, 2024 at 11:59 p.m. Courtesy/Southwest Area Incident Management Team
From the Office of the Governor:
SANTA FE – Today, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham formally requested a Major Disaster Declaration from President Joseph R. Biden Jr. in response to the devastating South Fork Fire and Salt Fire, which began on June 17, 2024. The request highlights the urgent need for federal assistance due to the extensive damage and ongoing threats posed by these wildfires.
“Our first responders are heroes, but they need more resources to combat this disaster Read More
NMDWS Prepared To Process Unemployment Insurance Claims Quickly For New Mexico Workers Affected By Wildfire
NMDWS Secretary Sarita Nair
NMDWS News:
ALBUQUERQUE – The New Mexico Department of Workforce Solutions (NMDWS) is waiting for federal approval and guidance for Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) to be offered to workers whose employment has been affected by the Southfork or Salt fires. Individuals may apply for Standard Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits now, a first step in the DUA process.
DUA updates and UI information are available on the NMDWS website https://www.dws.state.nm.us/DUA.
“Our Department is prepared to take Unemployment Insurance claims and help individuals Read More
New Mexico Consortium Brings ‘Your State Of Science’ Event Series To Los Alamos!
New Mexico Consortium News:
“Your State of Science” event series hosted by the New Mexico Consortium, brings New Mexico experts to Los Alamos to discuss exciting research happening in New Mexico.
The first round is being launched with this year’s Los Alamos ScienceFest held during July 2024. A range of exciting topics will educate the community about their State of Science.
The community is invited to these events and learn about what cool things are taking place in the state! Mark the calendars now and plan to attend.
This July the schedule is as follows:
- July 13: Robot Outreach Program
Professor
White Rock Public Library Kicked Off Summer Series With Restaurateur Laura Crucet In ‘Read With A Chef’
Restaurateur Laura Crucet in ‘Read With A Chef’ June 12 at the White Rock branch library. Courtesy photo
COMMUNITY News:
The White Rock branch library kicked off its Summer Series June 12 with restaurateur Laura Crucet in ‘Read With A Chef’. Crucet, owner and executive chef of local favorite cafes Pig + Fig and Sugar & Cream, read several food and cooking-related children’s books to a captive audience of local Los Alamos children.
For a fun-filled hour at the White Rock Public Library, Crucet read aloud several culinary picture books, sang and danced to some tummy-grumbling songs, and helped Read More
PEEC Summer Family Evening: Meet Bugs And Creepy Crawlers At Los Alamos Nature Center 6 PM Today
Los Alamos Nature Center invites families to explore bugs and creepy crawler at 6 p.m. today. Courtesy/PEEC
PEEC News:
The Los Alamos Nature Center invites families to an exciting evening exploring the world of bugs and creepy crawlers from The Santa Fe Reptile and Bug Museum.
This special event will take place at 6 p.m. today, June 19.
Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with live critters at different stations throughout the Nature Center. Santa Fe Reptile and Bug Museum Founder Wade Harrell will be present to answer questions and share fascinating insights about these intriguing Read More
Volunteers Have Productive Day Clearing Coyote Call Trail
NPS Trails Chief Lance Cleaver welcomes volunteers and explains work. Photo by Peggy Gautier
Volunteers listening to instructions for clearing Coyote Call Trail. Photo by Peggy Gautier
Los Amigos de Valles Caldera News:
Los Amigos de Valles Caldera wants to send huge thank you out to all its volunteers who gathered on the Coyote Call Trail recently to clear growth from the trail by cutting down aspen saplings growing into the trail and improved the corridor.
National Park Service Trails Chief Lance Cleaver and his crew expressed thanks for all the volunteers’ hard work. Los Amigos de Valles Read More
