Nation

Heinrich Website Wins Coveted Congressional Gold Mouse Award

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U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M. was recognized Monday by the Congressional Management Foundation (CMF) for having one of the best websites in Congress, awarding Heinrich.Senate.Gov with a 113th Congress Gold Mouse Award.

“I’m honored to share this award with New Mexicans. I’m especially proud that my website was recognized as one of the best in providing transparency and online constituent services,” Heinrich said. “My website is not just a one-way street, it’s a direct line for the community to connect Read More

WIPP Preparing For Future Entries

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WIPP News:

Last week, Department of Energy and Nuclear Waste Partnership teams evaluated the initial photos from Wednesday’s entry into Room 7 of Panel 7. The entry confirmed that the radiation source was in Room 7, but the cause of the release was not evident.

This week, teams are finalizing safety basis documents and planning future entries to conduct additional investigations in Room 7. During the next entry, teams will have a longer stay-time, and workers are bringing equipment that allows better visibility. With telescopic extensions for cameras, employees can possibly get visuals Read More

The Science of WIPP

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WIPP News:

In recent weeks, there have been many questions about the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and why southeastern New Mexico was selected as the location for the world’s only repository for transuranic waste disposal.

Government officials and scientists chose the WIPP site through a selection process that started in the 1950s. At that time, the National Academy of Sciences conducted a nationwide search for geological formations stable enough to contain radioactive wastes for thousands of years. In 1955, after extensive study, salt deposits were recommended as a promising medium Read More

Los Alamos High School Receives 2014 Gold Medal Ranking and Makes Prestigious STEM List

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LAPS News:

Out of 19,411 public high schools, U.S. News and World Report has ranked Los Alamos High School 500th of the “Best High Schools in America.”

High schools in the top 500 in the nation received Gold Medal ranking for the 2014 school year. Achieving Gold Medal ranking also qualified Los Alamos High School for status as a 2014 STEM “Best High Schools.”

To determine the top STEM (science, technology, engineering and math schools), U.S. News and World Report looked at the top 500 public schools in the nation and evaluated their students’ participation and success in Advanced Placement science Read More

Udall, Heinrich Statement on DOE WIPP Radiological Release Investigation Report

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U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich today issued the following statement on the release of the Department of Energy’s Office of Environmental Management initial accident investigation report related to the Feb. 14 radiological release at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) near Carlsbad. 

The senators urge WIPP and DOE officials to fully implement all necessary corrective actions before restarting operations:

“The report on the response to the Read More

LAHS Coaches Kathy and Rob Hipwood Nominated For National Award

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Kathy Hipwood

SPORTS News:

The National High School Athletic Coaches Association has announced the advancement of Kathy and Rob Hipwood from Los Alamos High School as a finalist for the National High School Athletic Coaches Association national coach of the year in the sport of cross country.

Rob Hipwood

Eight finalists from across the nation will be honored during The National Coach of the Year Awards Banquet, which will take place June 18 at the National High School Athletic Coaches Association’s national convention at the Snow King Resort in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The highlight of the banquet Read More

History of Earth Day

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Earth Day 1970. Courtesy/earthday.org

EARTH DAY News:

Each year, Earth Day — April 22 — marks the anniversary of what many consider the birth of the modern environmental movement in 1970.

The height of hippie and flower-child culture in the United States, 1970 brought the death of Jimi Hendrix, the last Beatles album, and Simon & Garfunkel’s “Bridge Over Troubled Water.” Protest was the order of the day, but saving the planet was not the cause. War raged in Vietnam, and students nationwide increasingly opposed it.

At the time, Americans were slurping leaded gas through massive V8 sedans. Read More

Filter Bank Mock-up Complete; HEPA Filters Arriving at WIPP

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WIPP News:

Experts from the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site have arrived in Carlsbad to train WIPP employees on replacing the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters – a crucial component of the WIPP Ventilation System.

New filters are required to replace those that captured material following the Feb. 5 fire and Feb. 14 radiation event. The Savannah River Site is utilizing their expertise in changing contaminated filters to prepare WIPP site employees for potential levels of contamination on the filters. To aid with training, WIPP constructed a mock-up of the filter Read More

PowerTalk 21: Talk to Teens About Dangers of Underage Drinking Today

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MADD News:

April 21 is recognized as PowerTalk 21 Day, a day set aside to encourage parents to speak with their teens about the dangers of underage drinking, and to set a zero-tolerance policy for underage drinking in their households.

Through both State of New Mexico and City of Albuquerque official proclamations and in partnership with the New Mexico Office of the Governor, Albuquerque Office of the Mayor, Bernalillo County’s Department of Substance Abuse Program, Albuquerque Public Schools, and other stakeholders statewide, MADD NM will conduct Power of Parents workshops, Power of You(th) Read More

Energy Department Announces $15 Million to Help Communities Boost Solar Deployment

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DOE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C.—In support of the Administration’s goal of doubling renewable energy generation for a second time by 2020, the Energy Department today announced $15 million to help communities develop multi-year solar plans to install affordable solar electricity for homes and businesses.

The United States continues to be a global leader in solar, with total U.S. solar energy installations reaching 13 gigawatts last year. As the cost of solar energy continues to decline, more states and local communities are deploying solar energy projects to meet their electricity needs. Read More