A mountain lion drinks water from a local backyard habitat. Over the last year, Hari Viswanathan setup a camera trap to observe the critters visiting his parent’s pond on Barranca Mesa in Los Alamos. The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) took notice of the amazing variety of wildlife visiting Selvi Viswanathan’s NWF Certified Backyard Habitat and asked Hari to write an article about it. Here is the article that describes the history of Selvi’s Certified Backyard Habitat, with links to certifying your own yard, and preventing problematic wildlife encounters: https:////blog.nwf.org/2013/06/mountain-lion-seeks-backyard-oasis/ Read More
Nation
NM Governor Addresses Arizona Firefighter Deaths
STATE News:
Albuquerque – New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez released the following statement this morning about the tragic deaths of Arizona Hotshot Firefighters this weekend in the Yarnell Hill Fire in Central Arizona:
“I was saddened to hear the news about the deaths of 19 wildland firefighters in Arizona, members of the Granite Mountain Hot Shots, based in Prescott. They were killed when the wind suddenly shifted as they fought the fast-moving Yarnell Hill Fire, sparked by lightning.
“For New Mexicans, this news hits especially close to home because Read More
NNSA Announces Selection of Centers of Excellence for Academic Computational Science Partnerships
NNSA News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) has announced the selection of its six new centers of excellence whose primary focus will be on the emerging field of predictive science.
Six universities were selected either as a Multidisciplinary Simulation Center (MSC) or as a Single-Discipline Center (SDC). The MSCs will receive $3.2 million and the SDCs will receive $1.6 million each year for five years under NNSA’s Predictive Science Academic Alliance Program II (PSAAP II) agreement. The six universities include:
- University of Utah, Salt Lake City,
Congressional Delegation Seeks to Help New Mexicans with Genetic Brain Disorder
CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION News:WASHINGTON, D.C. – The New Mexico Congressional Delegation has introduced legislation to expand needed research, treatment and education efforts related to Cerebral Cavernous Malformation (CCM), a relatively unknown disorder of the brain and spinal cord more common among New Mexico Hispanics than any other group.
The Cavernous Angioma Research and Treatment Act would build upon an existing network of clinical and research labs to increase coordination, information sharing and awareness about the disease for both professional
Read More Bandelier Weekly Nightwalks in Frijoles Canyon Begin July 5
Frijoles Canyon. Courtesy/NPS
BANDELIER News:
Starting Friday, July 5, Bandelier National Monument will be offering the popular Nightwalks each week (weather permitting) until the end of August.
“The Nightwalk is a very beautiful, timeless, and unusual experience, walking silently with a ranger in the dark in Frijoles Canyon” Bandelier Superintendent Jason Lott said. “We encourage visitors to take the Main Loop Trail in the daytime to learn about the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived here, and then come back in the evening to see their homes in a very different
Read More Los Alamos Gymnastics Coach Loui Janecky Elected to National Board
Louise (Loui) Janecky. Courtesy photo
SPORTS News:
Louise Janecky, known as Loui by the gymnastics families of Los Alamos, has been elected by acclamation to the USAGymnastics’ newly formed National Xcel Committee.
USAGymnastics, the national governing body for gymnastics, is addressing the nation’s need for a competitive gymnastics program that goes beyond the traditional Junior Olympic (JO) Program. The traditional linear JO program has consisted of compulsory routines in Levels 1-6; and optional, individually choreographed routines in Levels 7-10.
The U.S. National and Olympic Read More
Udall Stands Up for N.M. in Energy and Water Appropriations Bill
U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
WASHINGTON –U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., joined the Senate Appropriations Committee in approving a bill that includes significant support for important New Mexico installations and programs, including Los Alamos and Sandia national laboratories, the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) and New Mexico water projects Thursday.
The bill includes record-level base funding for waste cleanup at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), and significant funding levels for WIPP operations and maintenance. Udall also included an amendment to the bill’s report language to improve
Three Funding Opportunities in Engineering Research
NIST News:
Funding opportunities for research in the areas of disaster-resilient buildings and communities, sustainable construction and manufacturing, and “smart” firefighting have been announced by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST.)
NIST anticipates selecting one project on each topic and awarding about $300,000 per project. Electronic applications are due no later than 11:59 p.m., Eastern Time, July 25, 2013. The deadline for paper applications is 5 p.m., Eastern Time, July 25, 2013.
NIST’s Engineering Laboratory seeks proposals Read More
Luján: With Only a Few Days Left until Interest Rates Double on Student Loans, It’s Time for Congress to Act
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District voted today to bring up legislation to address the increase in interest rates on student loans that is scheduled to occur on July 1.
With only five days to go until rates double, Luján joined with all his Democratic colleagues in an attempt to immediately bring legislation to the floor that would freeze rates at 3.4 percent for the next two years. Not one Republican voted with Democrats to bring up the legislation, blocking the effort.
“House Republicans have passed a bill that is a non-starter in the Read More
Thompson Ridge Fire 95 Percent Contained … 3 Percent Sustained High Intensity Burn
Initial Burn Severity Map for Thompson Ridge Fire. Courtesy/BAER
JEMEZ SPRINGS – Thompson Ridge BAER specialists recently completed their field surveys and are finalizing their analysis and findings.
The hydrologists and soils scientists finished their modeling for predicted post-fire water run-off and erosion levels.
The BAER team identified critical values-at-risk and is finalizing their recommended emergency stabilization actions and treatments for these values that will be included in their BAER assessment report along with their data, analysis, and findings. The BAER report Read More