Water Rights Transfer For Copper Flat Mine Reopening Denied By State Engineer
Courtesy photo
Courtesy photo
SIERRA CLUB News:
SANTA FE — The State Engineer issued her decision last week denying Tulla Resources’ application to transfer water rights needed to reopen the Copper Flat Mine near Hillsboro in southern New Mexico.
The State Engineer also noted the effects of climate change on New Mexico’s water resources. Quoting a 2006 Office of the State Engineer report, she stated, “New Mexico’s water future will be determined by water demand and availability of our water resources, [and] climate change will likely have a significant impact on both.” Read More
Daily Postcard: Spectacular Sunrise Over Sangre De Cristos
Daily Postcard: Valley fog and low clouds over the Sangre de Cristo mountains made a spectacular sunrise on Monday. Photo by DW Decker Read More
Bighorn Sheep Family Spotted On White Rock Canyon Edge
Rebecca Shankland of White Rock writes, ‘White Rock residents have been enjoying the small herd of bighorn sheep roaming the canyon recently, nibbling the grass, wildflowers, and sometimes special treats from domestic flower gardens. They usually travel in a flock of about seven, ranging in age from small lambs to majestic adult males with impressive curled horns. But one morning, my visiting guests spotted a new sight: a mother nursing a young one that seemed rather large to be bothering her for a free breakfast. My friend Merula Franzgrote was there with her cell phone camera to document Read More
County: Low Water Pressure Impacting Eastern Area
Crews expect pressure to be restored within 3-4 hours. Courtesy/The Spruce
COUNTY News:
Water customers from 9th Street heading east toward the airport are experiencing little-to-no water pressure and are encouraged to conserve water while repairs are being made.
A complication with an underground valve caused it to unexpectedly close, resulting in reduced water pressure for the area. Standby water crews from the Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) and a contractor working on the water transmission line replacement project in the area are working to repair and restore service. Read More
Tips To Prevent Human-Caused Wildfires Over Labor Day
SFNF News:
SANTA FE — All Santa Fe National Forest (SFNF) District Offices and the Supervisor’s Office in Santa Fe will be closed for the federal holiday Monday, Sept. 1, and will resume regular business hours Tuesday, Sept. 2.
As the nation gears up for the Labor Day holiday weekend, the Santa Fe National Forest encourages everyone to help prevent human-caused fires with a few helpful tips while visiting public lands.
Nationally, 9 out of 10 wildfires are caused by humans, including half of all wildfires on national forests.
Keep these tips in mind to help prevent human-caused wildfires:
Leave Read More
Scenes From PEEC’s 2025 Bear Fest At Nature Center
Land of Enchantment Foundation Co-founder Dr. Kathleen Ramsay, left, and Executive Director Nirankar Horak participate in Pajarito Environmental Education Center’s (PEEC) 2025 Bear Fest Saturday at the Los Alamos Nature Center on Canyon Road. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com
New Mexico Game and Fish Public Information Coordinator Amber Medina, left, and Public Information Officer Dela Joyner inform the public about bears during PEEC’s Bear Fest held Saturday at the Nature Center. Photo by Kirsten Laskeyladailypost.com
Bandelier National Monument staff, from front, Archeological Read More
Commissioner Garcia Richard Delivers Affordable Housing For Las Cruces With Mesa Vista Development Agreement
STATE News:
SANTA FE — New Mexico Commissioner of Public Lands Stephanie Garcia Richard announced a new lease today that will add around 1,700 new, affordable housing units to the East Las Cruces area on state lands near Organ Mountain High School. The development, which is a partnership with Sierra Norte Land Holdings, LLC, is part of Commissioner Garcia Richard’s efforts to prioritize the use of state land to meet communities’ needs, such as affordable housing.
This is the first time the State Land Office required that residential developments on state lands include affordable or attainable Read More
Daily Postcard: Buntings Share Seeds On Barranca Mesa
Daily Postcard: Female Indigo Bunting and juvenile sharing a snack on Barranca Mesa. Indigo Buntings are rare in the western states, only 1-2 a year are seen in Los Alamos. Photo by Selvi Viswanathan
Female Indigo Bunting. Photo by Selvi Viswanathan
Male Lazuli Bunting on Barrel. Photo by Selvi Viswanathan
A Lazuli Bunting scatters the seed so pair are feeding on the deck of a home on Barranca Mesa. Photo by Selvi Viswanathan Read More
Posts From The Road: J.C. Penney The Mother Store
The Mother Store: The Mother Store of J.C. Penney Co. opened in 1929 in Kemmerer, Wyo. The store still exists as a typical Penney’s store with several historical features from the early days of the company. The store was much like the store where I worked during high school in Texas. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
J.C. Penney Home: The home of the Penney family has been restored and is furnished in early 1900s motif. The home is free to visit and contains a room of historical photos and items from the J.C. Penney Company. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com
Kemmerer Store: The Kemmerer Read More
Scenes Of Iceland’s Wildlife – Part 1
A young arctic fox peers over the landscape near Moorudalur in Iceland as seen recently by Richard and Sophia Skolnik of White Rock, who joined a small group from Natural Habitat Adventures for an 11-day ‘circumnavigation’ of Iceland. The trip took them from Reykjavik to Akureyri over land, from there to the Westfjords by plane, and then another plane back to Reykjavik. Arctic foxes are the only mammal native to Iceland. Photo by Richard Skolnik
A whale dives beneath the waters of the Westfjords region, raising its fluke. Whale-watching is one of Iceland’s great natural spectacles. Photo Read More
Op-Ed: Our Deer Are Desperate
A deer balances on its hind legs to eat crabapples from a tree on San Ildefonso Road. Photo by Kei Davis
By KEI DAVIS
Los Alamos
I’ve lived in the same house, here in Los Alamos, for over 20 years. Plant life on the property has changed, but one of only a few constants is the crabapple tree. (One neighbor says it’s not a true crabapple, but whatever it is, it’s common around Los Alamos, notably in the western area.)
For the first 10+ years that I lived here, the crabapples were mostly a mess, serving only as food for mice and gophers, and to irritate me, both in the mess they’d make, and as an attractant for Read More
Daily Postcard: Fawns Forage Around West Road
Daily Postcard: A fawn spotted Saturday foraging around West Road. Photo by Michael Smith
A pair of fawns spotted foraging Saturday around West Road. Photo by Michael Smith
Another view of a fawn spotted Saturday around West Road. Photo by Michael Smith Read More
Daily Postcard: Beautiful Flowers Greet The Morning Sun
Daily Postcard: Beautiful flowers greet the morning sun on Friday in Velarde. Photo by Johnnie Martinez Read More
Storm Halts Hilltoppers Football Season Opener In Española
Sports News:
A torrential rain and lightning storm struck Española this evening, about 5 minutes before the scheduled kickoff time of Los Alamos High School Hilltopper’s season opening football game.
Heavy rains and, more importantly, steady lightning strikes within a couple of miles from the field on the campus of Española Valley High School led to the postponement, which was officially announced at 8:15 p.m.
The Hilltoppers and the Sundevils will now play the opening game at 11 a.m. Saturday in the valley. Read More
NMED Encourages Public Input On Changes To State’s Surface Water Regulations
NMED News:
SANTA FE —The New Mexico Environment Department’s Surface Water Quality Bureau invites the public to comment on proposed amendments to the state’s surface water regulations.
The public draft of the changes can be found here. The 60-day public comment period opened Aug. 15, 2025, and will close Oct. 14, 2025. Comments may be submitted by mail, email or through NMED’s SmartComment portal.
Comments submitted to NMED will help refine the proposed amendments before the agency petitions the Water Quality Control Commission for a rulemaking hearing. An additional public comment period Read More
Caballo Lake State Park Closes Boat Ramp Due To Extremely Low Water Levels
Current conditions at Caballo Lake State Park. Courtesy/EMNRD
STATE News:
SANTA FE — Caballo Lake State Park has closed access to the boat ramp and is prohibiting the use of motorized boats due to extremely low water levels.
The lake is still open for canoeing, kayaking, and other non-motorized vessels.
Low water levels are due to required maintenance around the dam and spillway by the United States Bureau of Reclamation. The lake will reopen to motorized boating once the Bureau of Reclamation completes its maintenance tasks, lake levels recover, and it is safe for visitors to use motorized Read More
Los Alamos Golf Course & Bee City Partner To Seed Designated Pollinator Areas At Golf Course
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos County Golf Course and Bee City Los Alamos have partnered together to establish designated pollinator areas within specified rough areas of the course. Two locations have been identified, one on the front nine in the “Bermuda Triangle” of holes 1, 3, and 4, and the large area between holes 12 and 13 on the back nine.
The Los Alamos County Golf Course is currently preparing the “Bermuda Triangle” for Bee City to host a volunteer sowing event with a mix of native grass and pollinator plant seeds from 4:30–6:30 p.m., Sept. 17, 2025. Interested volunteers can volunteer for Read More
Daily Postcard: Late Summer View Of Ashley Pond Park
Daily Postcard: Late summer view on Thursday of Ashley Pond Park. Photo by Erika Clark Read More
Daily Postcard: Double Rainbow Fills Sky In White Rock
Daily Postcard: Double rainbow fills the sky in White Rock Tuesday evening. Photo by Gary Stradling Read More
EM-LA, N3B To Discuss Legacy Waste Program Overview At Environmental Management Cleanup Forum Sept. 10
LANL News:
Are you curious about the legacy cleanup mission at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL)? Do you want to learn more about the progress made over the past year to protect our environment and safely dispose of radioactive waste?
Join the community meeting 5-7 p.m. MDT, Sept. 10. EM-LA, N3B wants to hear from the public.
Hosts: U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Environmental Management Los Alamos Field Office (EM-LA) and its contractor, Newport News Nuclear BWXT-Los Alamos, LLC (N3B).
Background: This event will feature discussions on:
- The different waste streams EM-LA/N3B
