Nation

Bandelier Seeks Public Comment on Draft Transportation Alternatives

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Atomic City Transit shuttle bus picking up passengers recently at the Bandelier National Monument Visitor Center. Courtesy/BNM

 

BANDELIER News:

The National Park Service (NPS) is preparing a Transportation Plan/Environmental Assessment (plan/EA) to improve transportation conditions in Bandelier National Monument.

More than three decades of studies and workshops have documented transportation and congestion management challenges in Bandelier National Monument, including traffic congestion at the monument entrance and a lack of adequate parking in Frijoles Canyon. Read More

U.S. Chimpanzees May Be Recognized as ‘Endangered’

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Flo, 55, is is the eldest surviving chimp in Alamogordo. Courtesy photo

APNM News:

Proposed Rule Affirms Public Outcry and New Mexico Leadership for Chimps

ALBUQUERQUE – The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service today released a proposed rule to classify all chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) as endangered.

Under the Endangered Species Act, this would end the current ‘split-listing’ which allows chimps in captivity in the United States to be sold and bred for use in biomedical research, the entertainment industry, and the exotic pet trade.

“This long-awaited ruling shows the intrinsic value of chimps Read More

50th Anniversary of Equal Pay Act: New Mexico Women Make 79 Cents For Every Dollar Men Earn

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Women overall and across ethnic lines continue to earn less than men. Courtesy/U.S. Census

CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District is calling for Congressional action to help close the remaining wage gap between men and women.

“When the Equal Pay Act was signed in 1963, women earned 59 cents for every dollar earned by men. Now, women in New Mexico make 79 cents for every dollar earned by men, a discrepancy which affects not only women, but their families as well. While significant Read More

Thompson Ridge Fire Update – June 11

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Smoke from the Thompson Ridge Fire looking west over Ashley Pond Monday evening. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Thompson Ridge Fire Update

Acres: 21,871; Start date: May 31, 2013; Cause: Downed powerline; Location: Valles Caldera National Preserve; Containment: 50 percent; Fuels: Mixed conifer and Ponderosa pine; Terrain: Steep, rugged; Resources: 20 crews, 49 engines, 32 water tenders, 5 dozers; Total personnel: 1,003 and Available air support: 3 air tankers, 6 helicopters.

Very active fire behavior was observed yesterday within the perimeter and will continue today due Read More

New Mexico’s Mike Sather Appointed to Malcolm Baldrige Judges’ Panel

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QNM News:

ALBUQUERQUE – Dr. Mike Sather, Director of the VA Cooperative Studies Program Clinical Research Pharmacy Coordinating Center in Albuquerque, was appointed for a three year term by the U.S. Secretary of Commerce to the Judges’ Panel for the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award. 

The appointment was effective March of 2013. The Panel of twelve judges meet three times during the award cycle to discuss the Award process, select Award applications to receive site visits and, ultimately, recommend Award recipients to the Secretary of Commerce.

Dr. Sather recently served on Read More

Forward Progress of Thompson Ridge Fire at South Mountain Stopped – N.M. 4 Reopens

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Photo by Kristen Honig/Valles Caldera Trust

Photo depicts surface fire of which the low intensity removes excess fuels, preserving the crowns of the trees. Monsoon season will yield a new crop of grass. Photo by Kristen Honig/Valles Caldera

Thompson Ridge FIre Update

Acres: 21,089; Start date: May 31, 2013; Cause: Downed powerline; Location: Valles Caldera National Preserve; Containment: 40 percent; Fuels: Mixed conifer and Ponderosa pine; Terrain: Steep, rugged; Resources: 21 crews, 49 engines, 31 water tenders, 4 dozers; Total personnel: 1,014 and Available air support: 3 air tankers, Read More

N.M. 4 Closed at SR 126 to SR 501 Junction

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Smoke from the Thompson Ridge Fire visible driving west from Pojoaque early Saturday evening. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com
 
Thompson Ridge Fire Update
June 9, 2013

Acres: 20,687; Start date: May 31, 2013; Cause: Downed powerline; Location: Valles Caldera National Preserve; Containment: 40 percent; Fuels: Mixed conifer and Ponderosa pine; Terrain: Steep, rugged; Resources: 21 crews, 52 engines, 35 water tenders, 2 dozers; Total personnel: 1,023  and Available air support: 3 air tankers, 6 helicopters.

Summary: Fire intensity increased significantly along Read More

Udall and Heinrich: Prevent Fires From Downed Power Lines

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Downed power line illustration. Courtesy photo

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Following news that recent fires in New Mexico were caused by downed power lines, U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich are encouraging cooperation between utility companies and federal agencies to keep trees away from power lines and reduce the risk of wildfires.
 
Downed power lines have caused several wildfires, including the Tres Lagunas and Thompson Ridge fires currently burning in northern New Mexico.
 
In letters to the U.S. Departments of the Interior and Agriculture and the electric
Read More

Thomas Ridge Fire Images on the Valles Caldera

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Spot fires from the Thompson Ridge Fire at Headquarters Wednesday evening at the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Photo by Jim ODonnell

An Air Crane passes Headquarters with a fresh load of water from the Jemez River. Photo by Jim ODonnell

A closeup of the understory burn from the Thompson Ridge Fire Wednesday at the Valles Caldera National Preserve. Photo by Jim ODonnell

An Air Crane siphons water from the Jemez River. Photo by Jim ODonnell

A healthy underbrush burn on the west side of the Valle Wednesday. Photo by Jim ODonnell

  Read More