Columns

Tales Of Our Times: Campaigns Dimly Turned From Deliberation To Snap Predictions

by

Tales Of Our Times:

By JOHN BARTLIT
New Mexico Citizens
for Clean Air & Water

Numerous times during the long run-up to the Nov. 5 election, I noted a trend toward news that was more about what might happen than about events. One day the news would say Harris had gained three points in a key battleground state. The next day some other big state gave Trump a three-point jump. Week after week the news kept us up to speed, within assorted margins of error.

Polls proliferated in new forms—cheap and briefer forms. The forms increased chances to design polls so the results upheld campaigners’ wishes Read More

All Shall Be Well: The Week Between – Rest Well!

by

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 DEACON AMY SCHMUCK
Bethlehem Evangelical Lutheran Church

One of my favorite memes online describes how we feel in this “week between” the holidays of Christmas and New Year’s day as “Confused and Full of Cheese”. (See image)

 

I am here to encourage you in this week of continued festivities, days off from work, family and friend gatherings, and yes- more church services upon us, that you live into a prolonged sabbath rest as Read More

Dannemann: Consumer Protection On The Line

by

By MERILEE DANNEMANN
Triple Spaced Again
© 2024 New Mexico News Services

The patient was all set for surgery. The insurance company had approved the surgery and the patient was in the hospital’s administrative office to settle last-minute details. Two days before the surgery was scheduled, the hospital received a notice from the insurance company that the claim was denied. The patient, panicked, contacted the insurance company and was told, “Well, you can always pay cash.”

This story was told in several reports I heard on NPR. At least one version was recounted by the patient herself, which Read More

Robinson: Radio Sets Broke Rural Isolation 100 Years Ago

by

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

A century ago, shoppers bought their Christmas cards from the local printer. A little bottled cheer required a visit to the local bootlegger because Prohibition was still in force. And a thoughtful gift was radio batteries.

“You would be surprised if you knew how many people are giving radio batteries this Christmas,” said an ad in the Albuquerque Journal. “Some are people whose friends have entertained them with their radio sets.”

By 1924 radio set had been around for a few years, but they were still a novelty. Basically a wooden box Read More

Weekly Fishing Report: Dec. 25, 2024 

by

By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post 

Merry Christmas 

If you are still looking for a gift for that angler in your life here are some suggestions. Lures make excellent stocking stuffers. So do packages of hooks, sinkers and bobbers.

The weather has been pretty cold in the mornings with somewhat warmer afternoons. Since that big storm at the beginning of November it has been pretty dry. It would be great to start building a decent snowpack for this winter soon.

Anglers should consider a trip to Southern New Mexico.

Most of the small lakes and reservoirs in this part of the state Read More

Supreme Court Justice And District Judge: Healthy Communities Are Rooted In Meaningful Access To Affordable Civil Legal Services

by

Supreme Court Justice C. Shannon Bacon

By New Mexico Supreme Court Justice C. Shannon Bacon
and District Judge Erin B. O’Connell, chair of the New Mexico Commission on Access to Justice

Three out of four low-income households in New Mexico struggle with legal issues impacting basic needs like housing, financial stability, access to social and medical benefits.

New Mexico’s civil legal service providers handle thousands of cases every year, but a lack of capacity caused them to turn away more than half of the people seeking help last year.

The New Mexico Commission on Access to Justice works Read More

OpEd: A Message From County Manager Anne Laurent

by

By ANNE LAURENT
Los Alamos County Manager

I would like to wish the community a safe and happy holiday season and take a moment to publicly thank the County staff for their hard work and dedication. I often say that I do not want to be the manager of just any city or county, but this county.

It is true the community members of Los Alamos County have high expectations. However, if you put the expectations in context with the main topics of debate – regulation and economic development – it is clear that these issues represent only a very small fraction of all the County operations.

For the most part, Read More

Life After 50: Back To Basics

by

Executive Director Bernadette Lauritzen of Champions of Youth Ambitions. Photo by Sandy Jones

By BERNADETTE LAURITZEN
Executive Director
Champions of Youth Ambitions

Champions of Youth Ambitions will soar into 2025 with a lofty goal. Last week, a gift from 100 Men Who Care launched a strategic plan to get life-saving suicide prevention information into the hands of more people than ever before. The class is designed not to make the listener a counselor, but to enable them to offer hope to someone struggling or aid them in finding help.

We will increase our outreach and presentations of free, Read More

Posts From The Road: Lights Of Gisewa 2024

by

San Jose de los Jemez Mission: An impressive display of farolitos filled the interior walls of the San Jose de los Jemez Mission. Shown is the display on a clear and chilly evening on Dec. 14. The Gisewa Pueblo was established around the year 1350 and the mission was constructed a few years later. The full moon lit the wall to the left and others throughout the grounds. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Visitors & Farolitos: Hundreds of visitors were present for the lighting the night we attended on Dec. 14. This photo shows several visitors as they move about in the dark with the outer walls Read More

Fr. Glenn: Sweet Water

by

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Ah … the weekend before Christmas, and all through the house …

Well … There are probably at least a few creatures stirring—parents wrapping gifts, bored kids out of school playing video games or on their phones and tablets, links to Amazon and Etsy and other shopping portals getting slammed by late shoppers hoping that their packages might…just might…arrive at their destinations before Christmas (“I’ll pay extra shipping! Just get it there before Wednesday!!”)

But, hopefully, in all the chaos and hubbub we might remember the whole reason for the season: the birth of Read More