PEEC’s Jemez Mountain Herbarium Goes Global
Dorothy Hoard assists a child with the microscope in the Jemez Mountain Herbarium at PEEC. Courtesy photo
PEEC News:
An organization in Arizona, the Southwest Environmental Information Network (SEINet), has been gathering the most important southwest databases into a single website.
SEINet recently accepted the Jemez Mountain Herbarium, which is housed by the Pajarito Environmental Education Center (PEEC), and has about 3,000 species from Los Alamos County and the Jemez Mountains. Anyone in the world can query SEINet.
For years botanists have been collecting native plants in Read More
Udall Urges FTC to Investigate Phone Scams
U.S. Senate News:
WASHINGTON – Friday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., wrote a letter to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairwoman Edith Ramirez, asking her to take “aggressive action” to investigate and prevent telephone scams targeting utility customers in New Mexico.
More than 130 New Mexico utility customers have been targeted so far. Some have lost of thousands of dollars in the telephone scams, in which callers threaten to disconnect electric service unless the customer sends money via prepaid card or online payment.
The scammers are using a practice known as caller ID “spoofing,” in Read More
Jemez Pueblo’s Claim for Valles Caldera Land Dismissed
VCT News:
On Sept. 24 the United States District Court of the District of New Mexico dismissed the Pueblo of Jemez’s lawsuit, which sought to return the Valles Caldera National Preserve to the Jemez Pueblo.
“We will continue to work closely with the Pueblo nonetheless, to ensure the cultural history, spiritual significance and the landscape are preserved for generations to come,” said Valles Caldera Trust Board of Trustees Chairman Kent Salazar in a statement at the Board of Trustees meeting in Pojoaque Thursday, Sept. 26. “It is what we do as the Valles Caldera Trust and Read More
Caja Del Rio Plateau Closed to Vehicles
USFS News:
Roads on the Caja Del Rio Plateau in the Santa Fe National Forest are currently closed to motor vehicle traffic until further notice by order of the U.S. Forest Service due to wet weather conditions. Read More
Udall Backs Bill to Reform Surveillance Program
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON – Friday, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., announced his support for a new bipartisan bill to reform the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) and ensure Americans’ rights to free speech and freedom from unreasonable searches are protected.
“The National Security Agency’s mission is to protect our nation from foreign threats, and I support that goal, but it is becoming clear that millions of Americans’ communications are being swept up in their dragnet,” Udall said. “I have been concerned about the potential for abuse of these programs for years. We Read More
NMCD Responds to Flooding Emergency
New Mexico Corrections Department inmates fill sandbags to protect neighboring communities from flooding. Courtesy photoNMCD News:
As much of the state was pounded by heavy rains and flooding conditions, the New Mexico Corrections Department put inmates to work to protect the community and provide for those in need.
It started with a call for sandbag crews to work across the state. Crews at half a dozen facilities filled more than 15,000 sandbags to protect neighboring communities
“Making sure our offenders give back to the community is essential to rehabilitation,” Corrections Read More
Tax-filing Extension Expires Oct. 15
IRS News:
PHOENIX ─ Many of the more than 12 million taxpayers who requested an automatic six-month extension this year have yet to file. Though Oct. 15 is the last day for most people, some still have more time, including members of the military and others serving in Afghanistan or other combat zone (https:////www.irs.gov/uac/Combat-Zones) localities who typically have until at least 180 days after they leave the combat zone to both file returns and pay any taxes due. People with extensions in parts of Colorado (https:////www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS-Provides-Tax-Relief-to-Victims-of-Colorado-Storms Read More
Council Holds Final Noon Meeting of Year
The Los Alamos County Council is holding its final noon meeting of the year today in Council Chambers. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Los Alamos County Emergency Management Coordinator/Acting Police Chief Philmont Taylor briefs Council today at noon on the status of flood relief funds from the state and details of the Presidential Declaration being sought by the state. He said this is his seventh major disaster in the 14 years that he has worked for the County. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
Community members and County staff attend today’s Council meeting. Photo Read More
Udall Backs Measure to Protect Military Pay in Case of Government Shutdown
Tom Udall
U.S. SENATE News:
WASHINGTON – U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., announced Thursday that he is joining a bipartisan group of senators in cosponsoring a bill to protect military pay in the event of a government shutdown.
The Military Pay Protection Act, which is based on a similar proposal introduced in January, would ensure the nation’s military families, including National Guard units assisting in disaster recovery, and critical Defense Department civilian workers, would not see a delay in their paychecks if the government were to shut down.
