Valles Caldera Trust Commits To Smooth Transition To National Park Service Management
VCNT News:
Jemez Springs – The Valles Caldera Trust has issued the following statement regarding the U.S. Senate’s passage of legislation transferring management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the National Park Service:
The Valles Caldera Trust’s Board and Executive Director are committed to a smooth transition to National Park Service management of the Valles Caldera National Preserve. In addition, the Board of Trustees hopes to see the continuation of the staff-led science-based adaptive management program which oversees the landscape restoration, grazing Read More
Congress Approves Valles Caldera National Preserve And Manhattan Project National Historical Park!
Valles Caldera National Preserve. Courtesy/NPS
NPCA News:
With today’s Senate passage of the National Defense Authorization Act, Congress has approved the most significant expansion of the National Park System in nearly three decades.
The legislation includes the approval of Valles Caldera National Preserve and the Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Las Alamos as well as Hanford, Wash., and Oak Ridge, Tenn.
“This bipartisan legislation represents years of work by community members, business leaders, scientists and National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA),” said Read More
IRS Reminder – Take Required Distributions By Dec. 31
IRS News:
PHOENIX – The Internal Revenue Service recently reminded taxpayers born before July 1, 1944, that they generally must receive payments from their individual retirement arrangements (IRAs) and workplace retirement plans by Dec. 31.
Known as required minimum distributions (RMDs), these payments normally must be made by the end of 2014. But a special rule allows first-year recipients of these payments, those who reached age 70½ during 2014, to wait until as late as April 1, 2015 to receive their first RMDs. This means that those born after June 30, 1943 and before July 1, 1944 Read More
Luján Issues Statement On Passage Of Spending Bill
U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján
CONGRESSIONAL News:
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District released the following statement Thursday after voting against an omnibus appropriations bill.
“It is deeply disappointing that Congressional Republicans have used this process to pass damaging provisions that roll back critical Wall Street reforms and further undermine campaign finance rules. In addition, the measure shortchanges investments in key areas that are critical to our nation’s economic competitiveness and New Mexico’s future – cutting Pell Grants and providing Read More
Governor Unveils New Teacher Support Package
Gov. Susana Martinez
EDUCATION News:
Gov. Susana Martinez has announced a package of key initiatives to support New Mexico’s teachers, starting with increasing pay for beginning teachers for the second year in a row.
The Governor also outlined a new initiative, called the “school supply bucket,” to provide teachers with funds to help purchase materials for their classrooms. She also introduced New Mexico’s “Teachers Pursuing Excellence” (TPE) program to place the most effective teachers in mentorship positions supporting teachers who could benefit from additional, job-embedded Read More
Udall Urges Congress To Pass Bill, Avoid Shutdown
U.S. SENATE News:
- Appropriations bill funds PILT, lab programs including B61, N.M. military bases, WIPP recovery, technology transfer, water projects and other priorities
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, welcomed the release of a so-called “omnibus” appropriations bill, which includes critical funding for New Mexico and keeps the government running through September 2015, the end of the fiscal year.
The bill funds many New Mexico priorities that Udall has fought for, such as the Payment in Lieu Read More
Los Alamos County Participates In State-Wide Recount For Commissioner Of Public Lands
Land Commissioner Ray Powell
ELECTION News:
Los Alamos County Clerk Sharon Stover announced today, her office received notice from the Secretary of State, that an agreement was reached by all parties, allowing the stay to be lifted on the automatic recount for the Commissioner of Public Lands race.
The New Mexico Supreme Court has officially lifted the stay and the State Canvassing Board (Governor, SOS and Supreme Court Justice) has issued a 20-page amended order for the statewide recount. County Clerks, at all county seats across New Mexico, are to begin the recount process 8 a.m. Thursday, Read More
LAHS NJROTC Cadets Compete At Area 9 West Drill
Unarmed Regulation Drill Cmdr. Gianna Maggiore reporting in with her platoon. Courtesy photo
Los Alamos High School NJROTC cadets in Albuquerque with their trophies. Courtesy photo
Cadets from Los Alamos High School NJROTC program’s special teams traveled Saturday to Albuquerque to compete in the annual Area 9 West Drill meet where they went head to head with NJROTC units from throughout New Mexico, Texas and Colorado.
Events included regulation and exhibition drill, color guard, physical fitness and academics.
LAHS cadets placed second overall, Read More
IRS Issues 2015 Optional Standard Mileage Rates
IRS News:
PHOENIX – The Internal Revenue Service today issued the 2015 optional standard mileage rates used to calculate the deductible costs of operating an automobile for business, charitable, medical or moving purposes.
Beginning Jan. 1, 2015, the standard mileage rates for the use of a car, van, pickup or panel truck will be:
- 57.5 cents per mile for business miles driven, up from 56 cents in 2014;
- 23 cents per mile driven for medical or moving purposes, down half a cent from 2014; and
- 14 cents per mile driven in service of charitable organizations.
The standard mileage rate for Read More
Compassionate Friends Candle Lighting 7 p.m. Sunday
COMMUNITY News:
The Los Alamos Chapter of The Compassionate Friends will host a local participation in the Worldwide Candle Lighting at 7 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 14 at the Ashley Pond bandstand.
As candles are lit at 7 p.m. local time, hundreds of thousands of persons worldwide commemorate and honor the memory of all children gone too soon. Please join with us in creating faralitos to honor the children of Los Alamos lost to us through an early death.
Materials will be provided between 6:45 p.m. and 7 p.m. to create faralitos. The faralitos will be lit promptly at 7 p.m. and remain burning Read More
