Columns

Skolnik: Reducing Excess Alcohol Consumption

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By RICHARD SKOLNIK
White Rock

I encourage the Los Alamos Community to ignore the comments of the Rio Grande Foundation that the Post published Jan. 13 and focus instead on the facts and evidence about reducing alcohol-related harms in New Mexico.

First, New Mexico leads the nation in alcohol-related deaths, with a rate of such deaths that is six times the rate of the state with the lowest rate. In addition, New Mexico’s high rate of alcohol-related deaths has gone on for many years.

Second, there is consistent evidence within the US and across countries that higher alcohol taxes and higher alcohol Read More

Weekly Fishing Report: Jan. 14  2025 

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By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post 

Happy New Year!

The snowpack in Northern New Mexico improved somewhat last week and now is 32-percent of normal. The weather forecast for this coming week looks like typical January weather with highs in the 40’s and lows in the low 20’s and teens. 

Next week could see an Artic blast thanks to the Polar Vortex plunging south. These cold blasts are no joke and temperatures can plunge well-below zero in some of our high mountain valleys.

The Moreno Valley where Eagle Nest Lake is located is a prime example. Temperatures here can Read More

Gessing: Higher Taxes Won’t Solve Alcohol’s Harms

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By PAUL J. GESSING
President
Rio Grande Foundation

According to the latest budget analyses from the Legislature, New Mexico policymakers have nearly $900 million in “new” money available as the session begins in Santa Fe. This comes on top of massive surpluses in recent years, which the Legislature has largely spent or used to bolster the State’s already prodigious sovereign wealth funds which now total $58 billion.

In many states across the nation policymakers of both parties would be fighting to see who can come up with the best tax cut or rebate plan. Sadly, this November, New Mexico’s voters Read More

Robinson: Protecting Homeowners & Keeping Insurers In NM

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By SHERRY ROBINSON
All She Wrote
© 2024 New Mexico News Services

When we look back at fires, California’s and New Mexico’s, we’ll see that the victims got burned twice – once during the event and again when they tried to rebuild and found they couldn’t get insurance. That’s if they had any to begin with. Many don’t.

This is not a rant about insurance companies. Two of my early jobs were with insurance companies. I spent years writing about them as a business writer, so I don’t expect them to act like charities.

New Mexico and California have property insurance problems driven by climate change. The disasters Read More

Posts From The Road: Seeing More In Less…

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Wide Open Spaces: This photo was made in the panhandle of Texas. While the panhandle does have several unique features, it also has a lot of wide open spaces. This is ranch land which is not very picturesque but I believe the photo works because of the great contrast between the greens and browns of the land and the beautiful blue skies. There is a windmill seen on the horizon in the center of the photo and the simple arrangement of the few puffy clouds creates a pleasing scene. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Straight Ahead: The lines created by the straight highway in this photo make nice landscape Read More

Fr. Glenn: Reminders

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By Fr. Glenn Jones:

As of this writing the California fires are still raging through the Los Angeles and surrounding areas—such a tragedy, as is the flooding a few months ago in North Carolina and other natural and man-made disasters throughout our nation and the world.

Certainly Los Alamosians—especially longer-term residents—can empathize with those suffering now in California, as well as can many here in New Mexico. Dante-esque scenes of the fires of not long ago around Los Alamos are common in photos of the time, as are those from other fires in the Jemez Mountains, around Ruidoso, Cimmaron Read More

All Shall Be Well: Dignity And Worthiness

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Clergy from left, Deacon Amy Schmuck, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired, The Rev. Mary Ann Hill and The Rev. Lynn Finnegan. Photo by Nate Limback/ladailypost.com

By The Rev. Mary Ann Hill
Rector
Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church

“Will you strive for justice and peace among all people, and respect the dignity of every human being?” “I will, with God’s help.”

This is one of the promises those being baptized make in the Episcopal church, and it’s by far the one that most people claim as their favorite. This Sunday, for many of us, the story of Christ’s own baptism will be our theme, and in my church Read More

Houck: Do You Really Need A Real Estate Broker?

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By DAVID HOUCK
Qualifying Broker
Atomic Realty LLC

Your life is busy – especially if you are preparing for a move. You may be able to handle everything but it will take your time.

Are you willing to take time from your move, your work, and your home life to do the following;

  • 1) Hire or take high quality photos,
  • 2) Hire someone to take quality 3D walk-through photos,
  • 3) Learn to post on your chosen marketing venues,
  • 4) Have signs and flyers produced and maintain your website marketing,
  • 5) While you may know your home better than anyone, do you have the skills to write an enticing narrative that positively
Read More

Benson: Be A Hero

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By JODY BENSON
Los Alamos

What if you were offered a quick, easy, inexpensive way to clean up litter, lower chemical pollution, and reduce endocrine disruption affecting sexual development and obesity? What if I told you that this action contributes to a healthier, cleaner future for you and your kids? Would you think about it, or dismiss the offer out of hand? (Remember, it’s quick, cheap, easy.)

What is this tiny little action? Just bring your own shopping bags wherever you go.

First let’s clarify what is meant by single-use carry-out disposable plastic shopping bag. These are the brown-Smiths/white-Walmart Read More

McQuiston: Six P’s Of Evacuating For Wildfires

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By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963

With wildfires raging in California and almost all of Los Alamos and parts of Santa Fe considered to be in a wildfire hazard zone, I thought I would pass along an article about safeguarding critical documents and valuable items in the event of an evacuation.

Having critical documents stored off premise, like in a safety deposit box at the bank, or stored in the cloud can be a good step in protection. But reviewing this check list may alert you to items you may not think about when under pressure to mobilize and evacuate.

I started Read More