What About All Those Ticks Around Town?
A brown dog tick (Rhipicephalus sanguineus). Courtesy/CDC
A rocky mountain wood tick (Dermacentor andersoni). Courtesy/CDC
COUNTY News:
Why is there an increase in ticks in Los Alamos County?
In Northern NM, an increase in tick populations in 2025 is likely due to several factors:
- Climate change: Milder winters and earlier springs, due to climate change, allow ticks to survive and reproduce for a longer period, leading to larger populations. Ticks are exotherms, meaning they don’t regulate their internal temperature, so they thrive in warmer conditions. Changes in precipitation patterns
Daily Postcard: Bighorn Sheep At Bandelier
Daily Postcard: A bighorn sheep photographed May 4 at Bandelier National Monument by Interpretive Ranger Sally King, who retired this month after serving Bandelier for more than 27 years and the National Park Service even longer. King’s duties over the years have varied from creating interpretive signage, designing junior ranger books, supporting research all over the park and much more. Photo by Sally King/NPSLAFD Begins Hydrant Testing Around Los Alamos County
Firefighters testing water pressure and flushing out sediments in a fire hydrant in 2020 on Trinity Drive. This year’s testing runs May 19 through Sept. 1 throughout the County. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
COUNTY News:
The Los Alamos Fire Department (LAFD) will be testing fire hydrants throughout Los Alamos County May 19 through Sept. 1.
The purpose of testing is to ensure that the hydrants will provide an adequate water supply for fire suppression and to flush out sediments that have accumulated in the water distribution system over the past year.
These tests are part of the regular Read More
‘Get Your Hands In The Soil’ At Coronado Historic Site
NMDCA News:
Spring has sprung at Kuaua Pueblo at Coronado Historic Site and the garden needs tending.
From 10:30 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, May 28, Coronado Historic Site’s Ranger Anthony will lead the monthly program, “What’s Growing on, Kuaua.”
Each month Ranger Anthony demonstrates different gardening techniques and aspects of garden care and maintenance. Bring water and wear comfortable clothes, a hat, and shoes you can get dirty.
This program is included with admission of $7 for adults and free to children 16 years and younger, New Mexico residents 60+ with ID, Native/Tribal affiliations, Read More
Daily Postcard: American Robin Sits On Nest Near Reservoir
Daily Postcard: An American Robin sits on nest May 13 near Los Alamos Reservoir. Photo by Michael Smith
American Robin eggs inside the nest May 13 near Los Alamos Reservoir. Photo by Michael SmithBLM Seeks Initial Public Input For January 2026 Sale Of Oil And Gas Lease In New Mexico And Oklahoma
BLM News:
SANTA FE —The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) New Mexico State Office today opened a 30-day public scoping period to receive public input on 32 oil and gas parcels totaling 20,479 acres that may be included in a January 2026 lease sale in New Mexico and Oklahoma.
The comment period ends June 11, 2025.
Leasing is the first step in the process to develop federal oil and gas resources. Before development operations can begin, an operator must submit an application for permit to drill detailing development plans. The BLM reviews applications for permits to drill, posts them for public review, Read More
Leger Fernández, Valadao And Pingree Introduce Bipartisan Legislation To Support Water Conservation And Drought Resilient Practices
U.S. CONGRESS News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Reps. Teresa Leger Fernández (D-N.M-03), David G. Valadao (R-CA-22) and Chellie Pingree (D-ME-01) introduced the Support Water-Efficient Strategies and Technologies Act (WEST) Act (H.R. 3293) to support agriculture practices more commonly used in Western arid climates. This bipartisan bill would allow the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary to increase cost shares to 85 percent for Environmental Quality Incentives Programs (EQIP) practices that support water-conserving and drought-resilient programs. It would also make Read More
Kiwanis Club To Host Aluminum Collection Saturday
Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos aluminum collection team stands ready for Saturday’s event. Courtesy/Kiwanis
KIWANIS News:
Saturday, May 17, the Kiwanis Club of Los Alamos will be collecting and buying aluminum cans to be sent for recycling. Collection hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., in the parking lot of the First United Methodist Church on Diamond Drive (near Sullivan Field).
The community is encouraged to bring the aluminum cans they’ve had accumulating and help support the environment and Kiwanis. Read More
Los Luceros Kids Day Camp June 16-20
Courtesy photo
DCA News:
Returning this summer, PEEC and Los Luceros Historic Site are teaming up once again to offer a collaborative day camp filled with hands-on projects and outdoor adventures 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday – Friday, June 16 – 20.
Campers will explore the bosque with friends while diving into themes from the beloved New Mexico Outdoor Pass booklet. Each day highlights a new theme, inspiring curiosity and discovery about the natural world. As they complete activities, campers will earn exciting outdoor prizes like camping mugs, picnic blankets, and multipurpose tools, perfect Read More
Daily Postcard: Tut Takes Morning Strut Around His Barn
Daily Postcard: Tut, a handsome 5-year-old German Bielefelder Kennhuhn rooster, takes his morning strut around the barn of his small farm in the beautiful Española Valley. Photo by Liddie Martinez Read More
New Mexico Environment Department Enforcement Watch Alert: 184 Actions Initiated; 88 Resolved In April 2025
NMED News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Environment Department (NMED) is celebrating the two-year anniversary of its Enforcement Watch initiative — a program designed to provide the public with transparency of the Department’s enforcement efforts across environmental, public health, and worker-safety programs.
Launched in May 2023, Enforcement Watch shares monthly updates on enforcement actions and their resolutions.
These updates are broadly divided into two categories:
- Active Matters: Alleged violations of state regulations, rules, permits, or licenses that are currently
Daily Postcard: Display At Daybreak In Sky Over Quemazon
Daily Postcard: Display in the skies at daybreak Tuesday over Quemazon. Photos by DW Decker
Another view at daybreak Tuesday over Quemazon. Photos by DW Decker2025 Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award: Jenna Stanek
2025 Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award Recipient Jenna Stanek. Courtesy/Friends of Bandelier
From Friends of Bandelier:
It is with honor that the Friends of Bandelier announce the selection of Jenna Stanek as the recipient of the eleventh annual Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award. The Friends will donate $1,000 to Bandelier in Jenna’s name to support the park’s upcoming Pollinator Week in recognition of Jenna’s extensive work in supporting pollinators on the Pajarito Plateau.
Jenna exemplifies the Dorothy Hoard Stewardship Award criteria in her work fostering conservation and stewardship Read More
Los Alamos National Lab: Is Terraforming Mars Possible?
Terraforming Mars would require warming the atmosphere to enable engineered microbes to create oxygen through photosynthesis, which would further allow for slow oxygen build-up to support liquid water and more complex life. Courtesy/LANL
LANL News:
- A new paper in Nature Astronomy looks at the science
The possibility of terraforming Mars to make it habitable by humans has captured recent headlines and the imagination — but is there science to support it? In a recent perspective paper in Nature Astronomy, a team of planetary scientists, led by Pioneer Research Labs and the University of Chicago, Read More
Community Invited To Provide Input On Wildfire Prevention
COUNTY News:
A research team from Fire Adapted Communities New Mexico and Northern Arizona University is asking the community’s help in understanding local concerns related to human-caused wildfires in the Los Alamos area.
Los Alamos County is hosting a series of public discussion groups to gather resident perspectives and ideas about wildfire risk, forest restrictions (including closures), and other strategies that could be used to protect the community.
These conversations are confidential. Key points will be summarized and shared with local, state, regional and national wildfire Read More
State Wildlife Action Plan Open For Public Comment
NMDGF News:
SANTA FE — The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (Department) is releasing the draft 2025 State Wildlife Action Plan for New Mexico (SWAP) for public comment. The comprehensive, federally mandated 10-year review and revision of the SWAP began in May, 2023, and presentations were made at the State Game Commission meetings on Aug. 25, 2023, and Aug. 9, 2024.
The SWAP identifies Species of Greatest Conservation Need (SGCN), their habitats, threats to SGCN and their habitats and conservation actions that can be taken to mitigate these threats and benefit SGCN and their habitats. Read More
Daily Postcard: Rain Droplets On Leaves In Pinon Trails
Daily Postcard: Rain droplets on leaves in Pinon Trails. Photo by VaLynn Purvis Read More
Spring Cleanup At White Rock Community Garden May 17
COMMUNITY News:
The spring cleanup day for the White Rock Community Garden is 9 a.m., to noon, Saturday, May 17.
Tasks that need volunteers to help with include:
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- Some weeding, but not much
- pruning the bushes
- sweeping the walkways
- fleshing out the irrigation system
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Please bring tools and anything that might be useful for sprucing up the garden for the coming season.
The garden is on N.M. 4 across from the White Rock Visitor Center.
“We hope you can find a little bit of time to come by, help out, and meet your neighbors. We’ll have snacks and drinks and lots of fun.” —The Garden Club Read More
County: Faulty Gasket Caused Sinkhole In White Rock
A crack in this new gasket would have allowed a slow leak in the line to erode the earth around it enough to cause the recent sinkhole in White Rock. Courtesy/LAC
COUNTY News:
A new, but faulty, gasket appears to be the cause of the sinkhole that recently appeared on the road near the intersection of N.M. 4 and Rover Boulevard in White Rock.
The water transmission line feeding White Rock and running parallel to N.M. 4 was replaced earlier this year under a Los Alamos Department of Public Utilities (DPU) project. Contractor Wagner Construction led the effort, which included a section of pipe that crossed Read More
May Update On Los Alamos Golf Course Review
COUNTY News:
Los Alamos County staff have been monitoring the golf course and as published, performed a review of the course today, May 12, to provide better clarity and to ensure optimal conditions for play.
The updated schedule reflects changes in course availability and ongoing preparations.
Updated details:
The practice range and main putting green will remain open. These areas will be available to golfers for practice. Range balls are available 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. The practice range closes at 3:30 p.m. on Sundays to prep the range for mowing Mondays.
The course Read More
