Education

Howard Dittmer Sworn In As SFCC Governing Board Member

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From left, SFCC Governing Board Secretary Lina Germann, Ph.D., new member Howard Dittmer, Ph.D., SFCC President Becky Rowley, Ph.D. and SFCC Governing Board Chair Linda Siegle. Courtesy/SFCC

SFCC News:

SANTA FE — Santa Fe Community College (SFCC) welcomed a new member to its Governing Board on Feb. 25, when Howard Roy Dittmer, Ph.D., was officially sworn into office. The oath was administered by retired municipal judge Angela “Spence” Pacheco.

Dittmer joins the five-member board and will serve in Board Position #5. At its Jan. 14 meeting, the board elected the following officers: Chair Read More

New Mexico Arts Announces 2026 Poetry Out Loud State Finals At National Hispanic Cultural Center In Albuquerque

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NMA News:

SANTA FE, NM — New Mexico Arts announces the state finals for the 21st anniversary of Poetry Out Loud. 1 p.m., Sunday, March 8, eleven high school students from across New Mexico will participate in the Poetry Out Loud state finals. Held for the first time ever in Albuquerque at the Albuquerque Journal Theater in the National Hispanic Cultural Center, 1701 4th St SW, Albuquerque, NM. The event is free and open to all ages to watch the performances.

The following high school students will be representing their school at the Poetry Out Loud New Mexico Final:

  • Vinny Valenzuela – Cottonwood
Read More

New Mexico Public Schools Achieve Highest Graduation Rates In Over A Decade

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PED News:

SANTA FE — The New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) today announced that the statewide graduation rate has risen 2.4 percentage points to 80.6%, the highest rate in more than a decade. 

Eight schools have exited school improvement status, including seven that successfully exited More Rigorous Intervention (MRI) status, the state’s highest level of support for chronically struggling schools.

The eight schools are:

  • Albuquerque Public Schools:
    • Mark Armijo Academy
    • Highland High School
    • Rio Grande High School
    • Siembra Leadership High School
    • Technology Leadership High
Read More

‘LIFELINE: 2026 Youth Summit’ Friday At Mesa Library

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COUNTY News:

“LIFELINE: 2026 Youth Summit” is a free, high-energy event for high school students focused on connection, resilience, and real-world life skills.

The summit is 5-8 p.m., Friday, March 6, at Mesa Public Library, 2400 Central Ave.

Students will enjoy free food trucks, door prizes, and a prevention toolkit for every participant.

The Summit features interactive workshops and short talks on topics like mental health support, suicide prevention, and how to safely administer NARCAN, alongside hands-on activities and creative experiences hosted by the YMCA, JJAB, Los Alamos Read More

Los Alamos Arts Council Unveils Upcoming Events

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Courtesy/LAAC

LAAC News:

The Los Alamos Arts Council (LAAC) unveils upcoming events. Kite Festival is drawing closer, afterschool art is thriving, and soon the gallery will have more weekend hours.

Here’s a snapshot of what the Arts Council has coming up:

  • Volunteer Get Together Friday, March 13: To prepare for the year of cultural programming, the Arts Council invites the community to the first volunteer get together! Learn about how to help sustain arts and culture programming in the community even beyond helping with Kite Festival and Pumpkin Glow. From 10 a.m. to noon, drop-in at the Fuller
Read More

LAPS Foundation: How To Impact A Classroom Today

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A few of Esther Smidt’s students flip through their new Geronimo Stilton books received through the LAPS Foundation’s Shower with Love Campaign. Courtesy/LAPS Foundation

From the LAPS Foundation:

Mountain Elementary School teacher Esther Smidt heard about the LAPS Foundation’s Shower with Love fundraiser and quickly signed up for specific items she knew would enhance the learning in her classroom.

For Esther and her kindergarten students, that was new books for the classroom. A week later, her wish list items were fulfilled and her students were happily reading through their Geronimo Read More

Los Alamos Public School Students Encouraged To Participate In Summer Learning

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LAPS News:

Los Alamos Public Schools (LAPS) is excited to participate in this year’s Literacy NM Summer Program. This program will provide small group specialized reading and math instruction for students who have completed kindergarten through 7th grade.

This program will take the place of the traditional summer school or camp that the district has provided in recent years.

All LAPS students who would like to improve their reading and math skills are invited to enroll on the state portal – NM Summer Reading Program website: (https://www.literacy.nm.gov/#). Families are encouraged Read More

McQuiston: Why Modern Headlights Are Blinding Everyone … And What That Means For Accidents

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By ALLEN MCQUISTON
Jemez Insurance Agency
Serving Los Alamos Since 1963
If you’ve driven at night lately, you’ve probably wondered if everyone has their brights on.
Most don’t.
Modern headlights are simply much brighter than they used to be — and while that helps the driver using them, it’s creating real problems for everyone else on the road.
What Changed?
For years, cars used halogen bulbs with a softer, yellow light. Today, most new vehicles use LED or HID lights.
They are:
  • Brighter;
  • Whiter (often slightly blue); and
  • Designed to project farther.
At the same time, more people drive SUVs and trucks,
Read More

Martinez: Protecting Financial Well-Being Of Our Small Businesses Is Essential To Sustaining Strong Community Ties And Economic Stability Of Los Alamos

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By LIDDIE MARTINEZ
President, Los Alamos Region
Enterprise Bank & Trust, Member FDIC

As we settle into 2026, I encourage all of our small business owners to take a moment to review their fraud prevention plans. Since many local businesses don’t have large security departments, planning ahead is an important step we can take to protect ourselves.

The world of fraud is changing rapidly, driven more recently by artificial intelligence (AI). This means scams are faster, more convincing and much harder to recognize. Those old red flags, like awkward emails or clunky visuals, are disappearing, Read More