Columns

Dannemann: A Special Session For Healthcare

by

By MERILEE DANNEMANN
© 2025 by Merilee Dannemann

When the medical malpractice bill, Senate Bill 176, was killed in its first Senate committee, after more than 40 days of delay in that committee, I wondered whether that failure by itself would be enough to trigger a crisis response. Several other bills intended to help ease New Mexico’s healthcare situation were still going through the process.

We don’t have to wonder any more. Enough healthcare-related bills failed to set our collective hair on fire. Our already precarious access to healthcare got a little worse. Republican legislators proposed Read More

Posts From The Road: Death Valley National Park … Badwater Basin & Devil’s Golf Course

by

Long Desert Highway: After exiting from I-15 at Baker, Calif. visitors still have 115 miles of desert highway to cover before arriving at Death Valley National Park Visitor Center in Furnace Creek. Views such as this are plentiful along the way. Photo by Gary Warren/ladailypost.com

Salt Flats: Salt Flats cover hundreds of square miles in the floor of Death Valley National Park. Shown are visitors as they explore the salt flats at Badwater Basin in the national park. The flats look like snow from a distance but are hard as a rock to walk across. In the distance in the photo is Telescope Peak which is Read More

Fr. Glenn: Not Exalting Self

by

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

There sure is a lot of screaming and vitriol these days. Accusations of fascism here, genocide there … every “-phobia” and “-ism” imaginable … and some never thought of before. Much of it, of course, is just political or protester hyperbole to manipulate others toward a their “side”, or even to just score cheap points without taking into account all the facts or the whole of often myriad various concerns and variables. But underlying so many of demonizations seem to be airs of superiority. But for a true evaluation of self, humility is an essential ingredient, for “Arrogance Read More

Weekly Fishing Report: March 30, 2025 

by

By GEORGE MORSE
Sports and Outdoors
Los Alamos Daily Post

New Mexico’s snowpack remains below normal. The measure of snow water equivalent, which is the amount of water you will have once the snow is melted, is below 30-percent of normal in the Upper Rio Grande, Jemez River and Pecos River basins. The Chama River Basin is now 40-percent of normal.

The upper tributaries of the Jemez River are becoming accessible, as very little snowpack remains.

The snowpack in Southern Colorado, including the headwaters of the Rio Grande, is also below normal. Snow water equivalent in the Rio Grande headwaters Read More

Duplicate Bridge In Los Alamos: March 24, 2025

by

Bridge News:

The Los Alamos Unit of the American Contract Bridge League (ACBL) held its annual sectional tournament March 21-23 at the Betty Ehart Senior Activity Center (BESAC).

The tournament drew about 50 participants from Los Alamos, Santa Fe and Albuquerque.

Here is a challenging hand from the March 24 game. Can you and your partner reach a slam on this hand? 

This is board #15. South is the dealer, and N/S are vulnerable.

South is the dealer and should pass. West opens the bidding 1♠. After North’s 2♣ overcall, I like a 4♣ response by East, showing strong spade support and 1st round control of Read More

Tales Of Our Times: An Independent Judiciary Is Indispensable To Democracy

by

By JOHN BARTLIT
Los Alamos

Humans practice the craft of framing good things to look bad and vice versa. Be alert, good citizens, and be wary. The greatest of virtues can be, and often is, argued to be a weakness.

This troubling craft plays a large role in the political arena. And especially so at this pivotal time in our nation’s history. The time is ripe to revisit the subject called “civics”. Today, I write about the mix of democratic duties that pertain to the rule of law.

The phrase “government of the people, by the people, and for the people” has a strong ring to it. People are indispensable, yet none Read More

All Shall Be Well: Reconciliation Frees Us

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 Cynthia Z. Biddlecomb,
M.Div. (ELCA)

Perhaps the best example of forgiveness and reconciliation is Jesus’ parable of the Prodigal Son, found in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 15. After squandering his inheritance on dissolute living, the renegade son finds himself impoverished and starving. Distraught, he decides he must humble himself and return to his father; he realizes that he would have food to eat as even a lowly servant Read More

McQuiston: Man’s Best Friend Or A Liability?

by

By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos since 1963

I am an animal lover, but dogs are my personal favorite. They are great company and it’s in their nature to seek your approval and love. Dogs are said to be “man’s best friend”, but have you ever thought about how your insurance could be affected by the type of dog you decide to own?

An insurer has the right to non-renew or even refuse to write your homeowner’s policy based on the breed of dog you own. There are specific breeds of dogs that have a negative connotation due to their aggressive reputation. Breeds such as Pit-bulls and Read More

Travel: Captivating Cape Town

by

African penguins at Boulder Beach. Photo by Debbie Stone

Kristen Bosch Botanical Garden. Courtesy photo

By DEBBIE STONE
Santa Fe
For the Los Alamos Daily Post

There’s nowhere quite like Cape Town, the jewel of South Africa. This fascinating city is a meld of cultures, history and landscape, crowned by the magnificent Table Mountain. Often regarded as synonymous with the “Mother City,” (Cape Town’s affectionate moniker), this landmark is the single most welcoming icon to its people, as well as to travelers from around the globe.

Named a New Seven Wonders of Nature, Table Mountain is one of the Read More

Catch Of The Week: 23 And Me Bankruptcy And Genetic Data

by

By BECKY RUTHERFORD
Los Alamos

Spit in a tube, send it in the mail, and find out all about your genetics and ancestry, that was the premise of biotech company 23 and Me, but the company has found itself in dire straits and facing bankruptcy. What does this mean for the genetic data entrusted to the company by its customers?

With the impending bankruptcy of the company, they are looking to find a buyer. But what happens to user data once the purchase goes through? Any purchaser would have to abide by “applicable law” governing the use of user data, but data privacy experts say there isn’t Read More