John Wolfe, LAPS Chief Financial Officer, practices pouring tea for June Gladney, right, and Regina Mertz in anticipation of the Los Alamos High School open house ‘High Tea’ from 2-4 p.m. Sundary, Jan. 13. The open house features a variety of teas, coffee and cocoa and plenty of cookies to tempt the appetities of tour participants. High school students will lead the tours of the school. Musical groups, including an Aspen Elementary School youth choir will be on hand to perform. Members of the School Bond 2013 Committee will be available to answer questions for those interested in Read More
Education
School Bond Ballot is in the Mail
Los Alamos School Board President Kevin Honnell checks his bond ballot one more time before putting it in the mail. The school district is asking the community for vote on a $20 million bond that would fund the rebuilding necessary at Aspen Elementary School and provide much needed funding for upgrades to utilities and maintenance to other schools in the district. To ensure that your vote counts, ballots must be returned by Jan. 29. If the bond is approved, the State of New Mexico will provide an additional $5.4 million in matching funds for the construction of Aspen Elementary School. Courtesy Read More
LAPS Receives Top Audit Rating
School Board President Kevin Honnell
LAPS Receives Top Audit Rating
By Kirsten Laskey
The Los Alamos Public Schools Board of Education received a bit of good news during its regular meeting Tuesday – the recent audit gave the district an unqualified opinion, which is the best rating that could be received.
Vice President Dawn Venhaus
“The audit went very well this year,” said J.J. Griego of Griego Professional Services, which performed the audit.
He added there were no new findings. “That’s an incredible feat.”
Board Secretary Melanie McKinley
Still, Board President Kevin Honnell Read More
Community Invited to UNM-LA Dedication of Jeannette O. Wallace Lecture Hall Sunday
Courtesy/UNM-LA
UNM-LA News:
The community is invited to pay tribute to the memory of longtime Legislator Jeannette O. Wallace from 12:30-2 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 13 in room 505 (Building 5) at UNM-Los Alamos.
In honor of her long service to the Los Alamos community and tireless commitment to education, the faculty and staff of UNM-Los Alamos are privileged to dedicate UNM-LA’s newest lecture hall in her name. The dedication will take place at 1 p.m.
The long time community leader died from illness in April 2011. She was serving her 11th term as a New Mexico State Representative, which she had won at Read More
Local Scientist Competing in 3,000-Mile Race
Lisa Dougherty participating last November in the 24 Hour World Time Trial Championships in Coachella Valley, Calif., finished 2nd among the women, one 16-mile loop behind six-time Race Across AMerica (RAAM) winner Seana Hogan. Courtesy photo
By Carol A. Clark
Local athlete Lisa Dougherty is a Ph.D. materials scientist, Project Management Professional and Certified Quality Engineer working full-time as an engineer at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL.)
In November, she qualified to participate in the 3,000 mile non-stop Race Across AMerica – RAAM. She will start in Oceanside, Read More
Spaghetti For Everyone 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday!
LAHS SWIM TEAM News:
The community is invited to attend the Los Alamos High School Swim Team’s Annual Fundraising Spaghetti Dinner.
The dinner is 5:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 11 at the Trinity on the Hill Episcopal Church.
Tickets are $5 a person – children 8 & under are $3/plate. The dinner includes spaghetti (both a meat sauce and a non-meat sauce will be available), salad, garlic bread, dessert and a drink.
Tickets can be purchased in advance from any high school swimmer or at the door.
PEEC: Learn About Conservation Canines Jan. 17
PEEC News:
The community is invited to PEEC to hear a presentation from 7 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 17 about restoration work in the Jemez Mountains.
Anne Bradley, Forest Conservation Program Manager for The Nature Conservancy, will give the talk about the Conservancy’s current projects in the area, which include the Conservation Canines.
The Nature Conservancy has recently partnered with several organizations to provide information about climate change and tools to aid in forest conservation and restoration.
One of the most interesting collaborations is the study of the Read More
Workshop to Educate Baby Boomers on Social Security
PORTFOLIO News:
A New Generation of Retirees Prepares to Collect Benefits
Portfolio LLC will present an educational workshop titled “Savvy Social Security Planning: What Baby Boomers Need to Know to Maximize Retirement Income” has been scheduled for noon Tuesday, Jan. 29, at Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Ave., in Los Alamos.
After being told for years that Social Security is “going broke,” baby boomers are realizing that it will soon be their turn to collect. But the decisions they make now can have a tremendous impact on the total amount of benefits they stand Read More
Taos School of Music Holds Auditions for 2013
TSM News:
Taos School of Music Executive Director Kathleen Anderson Knox announced auditions for Young Artist positions in the prestigious summer chamber music program.
Approximately 125 of the most accomplished young classically trained musicians will audition for the coveted 19 slots.
Robert McDonald will conduct piano interviews in person only in New York City Jan. 19-20; Borromeo String Quartet hears string auditions in New York City Jan. 21-22 and Boston Jan. 24.
This year’s season will run June 16-Aug. 4 and showcase the complete Beethoven String Quartet Cycle.
Guest Artists will Read More
PEEC Amateur Naturalist: Jemez Mountains Blue Crayfish
PEEC Amateur NaturalistColumn by Robert Dryja
Jemez Mountains Blue Crayfish
The nice thing about being out-of-doors is that the unexpected can be seen. A group of students were exploring a stream in the Valles Caldera during a Nature Odyssey program for example.
One student spotted a blue colored rock and waded into the stream to pick it up. Surprise! The rock began to move away from the student.
On closer observation, we realized the rock was actually a crayfish. It was able to escape in spite of several students attempting to catch it.
A blue crayfish is an oddity. It also would appear to Read More