Environment - Los Alamos Daily Post

NASA: Total Solar Eclipse Monday, Aug. 21

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 2, 2017

Total solar eclipse Aug. 21. Courtesy/NASA

NASA News:

All of North America will be treated Monday, Aug. 21, to an eclipse of the sun. Anyone within the path of totality can see one of nature’s most awe inspiring sights … a total solar eclipse.

This path, where the moon will completely cover the sun and the sun’s tenuous atmosphere – the corona – can be seen, will stretch from Salem, Ore. to Charleston, S.C. Observers outside this path will still see a partial solar eclipse where the moon covers part of the sun’s disk.

NASA created this website (link) to provide a guide Read More

PEEC Amateur Naturalist: All Those Ponderosa Seeds

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 2, 2017

Pairs of seeds about to flutter out of a pine cone. Photo by Nancy Castillo

By ROBERT DRYJA

PEEC Amateur Naturalist

A number of cones are lying on the ground beneath the dominant Ponderosa pine tree growing behind the Aquatic Center.

A very patient seed counter found that ponderosa trees may produce from 7,000 to 11,500 viable seeds for a year. This is before birds and squirrels begin to eat them. The seeds are enclosed in a wing and so may flutter away from the parent tree. Birds and squirrels also may carry away and store some seeds without eating them.

Home Country By Slim Randles: Space Blanket

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 2, 2017

Home Country

By SLIM RANDLES

This is going to be good, Dud thought, bringing his new tarp out to the car.

There it was on that computer site. How to camp out with just a single tarp. I’ve been looking for something like that for a long time now. Amazing what you can find on the internet.

He couldn’t get Anita to go with him, because she just didn’t have the same outdoor curiosity that Dud had. Hey, it’s kinda scientific in a way, you know.

The tarp was kinda pricey, but it was worth it. It had to be big, of course, to serve as both a shelter and a bedroll, and it was made out of that spacey-kind

Daily Postcard: Colorful Sunrise Spotted From Potrillo

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 2, 2017

Daily Postcard: A colorful sunrise is spotted Friday from Potrillo Drive in White Rock. Photo by Jim Gourdoux Read More

WIPP Strategic Planning Workshop Aug. 8

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 1, 2017

Waste Isolation Pilot Plant. Courtesy/WIPP

WIPP News:

Interested stakeholders are invited to attend an Aug. 8 workshop on strategic planning for transuranic waste operations at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) through Fiscal Year 2050.

The workshop is 9-11 a.m. at the AECOM Office, One Park Square, 6501 Americas Parkway NE in Albuquerque.

The workshop is being held in response to requests from stakeholders wanting to learn more about WIPP’s strategic planning process in the areas of site infrastructure, waste emplacement rates, mining, and increasing Read More

Night Skies And Asteroids At Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium This Weekend

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 1, 2017

PEEC News:

Dr. Galen Gisler will provide an interactive tour Friday, Aug. 4 of the planets, star patterns, constellations and deep sky objects that may be observed throughout August. He also will include information about the solar eclipse. This show takes place at 7 p.m. in the Los Alamos Nature Center Planetarium.

Incoming!, a film that traces the paths of comets and asteroids, will play in the planetarium at 2 p.m. Aug. 5-6. The film takes a close-up look at interstellar collisions that have impacted Earth—as well as those still pending! Read More

UNM-LA Offers An Affordable Quality Education

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 1, 2017

By KATHRYN VIGIL,

UNM-LA Student Enrollment Director

Over the next few weeks, thousands of New Mexico high school graduates will be preparing for their freshman semester at colleges all across the state and country.

They will be looking for the best deals on books and comparing the prices of laptops and backpacks. Certainly their families will be talking about the sticker price of the college. However, the discussion about affordability should extend beyond the cost of tuition, fees, books and other expenses. The conversation should also focus on what is provided for the cost,

Interior Announces Revised Strategy, Policies To More Effectively Reduce Fractionation Of Tribal Lands

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 1, 2017

DOI News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― Following extensive analysis and feedback received from tribal leaders and American Indian landowners, the Department of the Interior has announced a revised strategy for the consolidation of fractional land interests through the Land Buy-Back Program for Tribal Nations (Program).

The strategy, which will more effectively allocate the remaining Program funds to reduce the maximum amount of fractional interests, includes a revised schedule for implementation, as well as new opportunities for tribal governments to use

Tickets Available For Parade Of Playhouses Aug. 25

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 1, 2017

NMA News:

ALBUQUERQUE ― New Mexico’s best builders and architects have signed up once again for the New Mexico Appleseed Parade of Playhouses Gala that will be held Friday, Aug. 25.

Each team is constructing a playhouse to be auctioned off at the Gala to support New Mexico Appleseed’s work addressing the root causes of poverty through systemic change.

This year’s design-build group includes the artistic collaborative Meow Wolf from Santa Fe! They’ve designed a whimsical playhouse that is on display in their lobby and is available through

Historic Trail From Santa Fe To Española Valley Will Retrace 1598 Migration

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 1, 2017

SFNF News:

SANTA FE ― Culminating several years of planning, the El Camino Real Trail Buckman Retracement Project will give residents and tourists alike the opportunity to experience one of the oldest routes of any National Historic Trail in the country.

Connecting city and county land uses with improved access to nearby federal recreational sites, the nearly 15-mile Retracement Project will connect the City of Santa Fe with Diablo Canyon across portions of the Santa Fe National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land.

Retracing Don Juan de Oñate’s route

SFCC Granted $351,000 From U.S. EDA For Building Energy Automation And Microgrid Training Center

Submitted by Chris Clark on August 1, 2017

SFCC News:

SANTA FE ― Santa Fe Community College announces that the U.S. Economic Development Administration has granted the college $351,000 in federal funds, which will support the purchase of critical equipment for the campus Building Energy Automation and Microgrid Training Center (BEAMTC).

The two workforce training labs on the campus will provide specialized hands-on training in the fields of building automation and microgrid energy distribution systems. The college is leveraging an additional $326,000 in state appropriations, and $111,661

Daily Postcard: Golden Sunrise Colors White Rock

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on August 1, 2017

Daily Postcard: A golden sunrise spotted in the sky Friday from Estante Way in White Rock. Photo by Jim Gourdoux Read More

LANL: Single-Photon Emitter Has Promise For Quantum Info-Processing

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 31, 2017

LANL researchers have produced the first known material capable of single-photon emission at room temperature and at telecommunications wavelengths, using chemically functionalized carbon nanotubes. These quantum light emitters are important for optically-based quantum information processing and information security, ultrasensitive sensing, metrology and imaging needs and as photon sources for quantum optics studies. Courtesy/LANL

LANL News:

Carbon nanotubes form first known tunable room-temperature quantum emitters at telecom wavelengths

Los Alamos National Laboratory Read More

Scenes Of Friendly Marmot On Wheeler Peak

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 31, 2017

A friendly marmot greets hikers Saturday at the top of Wheeler Peak. At 13,161 feet above sea level, Wheeler Peak is the highest mountain in New Mexico, which ranks as the 8th state in order of elevation. Photo by Robert Beberniss

The marmot poses for his closeup. Photo by Robert Beberniss

The marmot shows his best side to the camera for his profile shot. Photo by Robert Beberniss Read More

Morse: Walleye And Bass At Abiquiu Lake

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 31, 2017

Setting sun shines on Abiquiu Lake. Photo by George Morse/ladailypost.com

Bode’s General Store in Abiquiu serves green chile cheeseburgers and other items. Photo by George Morse/ladailypost.com

By GEORGE MORSE

Outdoors and Sports
Los Alamos Daily Post

Sunday morning a hunch that I had was confirmed. I’d been noticing that one of our hummingbird feeders that I usually end up refilling every day was not getting drained out as quickly. I suspected that a little rufous hummingbird had staked this feeder out and was chasing all others away.

Sure enough, Sunday I spotted

New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force Celebrates World Breastfeeding Week With Events Statewide

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 31, 2017

WBW News:

ALBUQUERQUE ― Sustaining Breastfeeding Together will take place Aug. 1–7 and is a collaborations of advocates, activists and those with decision-making power to promote and protect breastfeeding for anyone and everyone.

In New Mexico, the week will be celebrated with special events hosted by the New Mexico Breastfeeding Task Force (NMBTF) across the state.

“Our goal is to continue to advocate for and raise awareness for breastfeeding to cultivate communities that are supportive, and to protect the rights of New Mexico’s mothers and children,”

Summit Garden Club Meets Aug. 7

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 31, 2017

SGC News:

The Summit Garden Club next meeting is 1:30 p.m., Monday Aug. 7, at the home of Susan Larocque, 479 Ridgecrest, White Rock.

The meeting will be on Herbs and include members providing a potluck of different foods that include herbs. Speaker will be Mike Mason, chef at the White Rock Senior Center who will give a short presentation on cooking with herbs.

Mason was born and raised in Colorado and New Mexico, has an associate degree in culinary arts and business from Le Cordon Bleu School in Scottsdale Arizona.

The public is invited to the program, participate

Blue Beary’s Rehabilitation Exceeds Expectations!

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 31, 2017

Blue Beary has not only outgrown her cast, but also her cage since breaking her elbow several weeks ago. She has healed incredibly fast and has been moved into a much larger cage for the remainder of her rehabilitation. The Land of Enchantment Wildlife Foundation thanks everyone for helping raise more than half of what is needed for Blue Beary’s rehab, but still needs help raising the remainder of the funds. Donate at www.landofenchantment.org. Photo by James Robinson/LEWF

Pearce Votes Transparency In Border Wall Funding

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 31, 2017

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce July 27 voted against a procedural motion in the House of Representatives that adds full funding for the construction of a physical border wall to the national security appropriations bill without debate or a vote.

Votes such as this one are procedural motions that establish how bills will be debated on the floor. Including the funding for the border wall in Thursdays procedural motion is a unique and rarely used maneuver.

“I fully support securing the border