OP/ED

Currier: Voting Shapes NM’s Future—Your Voice Matters

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By MISSI CURRIER
President & CEO
New Mexico Oil and Gas Association

Every election cycle brings debates about candidates, policies, and politics. But at its core, voting is about something much bigger: shaping the future of New Mexico and ensuring your voice is heard on the issues that matter most to you, your family, and your community.

Primary elections are now underway across New Mexico, and this year’s races will help determine decisions about our economy, education system, healthcare, infrastructure, public safety, energy policy, and job creation for years to come. Those choices Read More

Op-Ed: New Mexico Is Building The Water Infrastructure Our Future Demands

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State Engineer Elizabeth K. Anderson, P.E.

By ELIZABETH K. ANDERSON, P.E.
New Mexico State Engineer 

New Mexico is experiencing a watershed moment.

Within the next 50 years, the state’s top scientists project that climate change will reduce available water in New Mexico’s rivers and aquifers by approximately 25 percent.

That challenge has guided Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham’s approach to climate and water management from the beginning of her administration. When the governor took office in 2019, New Mexico faced a familiar but urgent problem: aging water infrastructure, worsening drought, Read More

Op-Ed: Sacred Space Should Be Safe Space

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By Rabbi Jack Shlachter
Los Alamos

As a rabbi, I am sadly and keenly aware of the appalling rise in antisemitism in this country and around the world. And as a human being, I mourn alongside our Muslim neighbors in the wake of the tragic event in San Diego on Monday. Beginning with my move to New York in 2019 and continuing after my return to Los Alamos,  I’ve been a member of the New York Board of Rabbis (NYBOR). Rather than try to express my own thoughts on the terrible shooting at the San Diego mosque, I reproduce here the message sent out by NYBOR earlier today and strongly encourage all of us to reflect Read More

Op‑Ed: Los Alamos Medical Center Is Prepared When It Matters Most – Emergency Care for Moms And Babies

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By ALAN HEILPERN, MD, Medical Director & Physician, Emergency Department
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DEBRA TEMPLE, MHA, BSN, RN, Chief Nursing Officer, Los Alamos Medical Center

Pregnancy and childbirth are moments of great anticipation and joy – but they can also come with unexpected medical emergencies. As clinical leaders at Los Alamos Medical Center, we want our community to know this clearly: our hospital is and will continue to be prepared to care for pregnant and postpartum patients when urgent needs arise.

As we prepare to transition inpatient labor and delivery services to regional partners at the Read More

Chappel: Recent County Utility And GRT Increases

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Jason Chappel

JASON CHAPPEL
Candidate
Los Alamos County Council

My name is Jason Chappel, and I am currently running for Los Alamos County Council. Like many people in this community, I wear a lot of hats: employee, neighbor, problem solver, resident, and someone who genuinely cares about the future of Los Alamos.

One of the biggest reasons I decided to run for Los Alamos County Council is because I believe people deserve to feel heard before major decisions affecting their daily lives and finances are made.

Recent discussions surrounding proposed natural gas and water rate increases, along Read More

Op-Ed Submission: The Potential Of Los Alamos Urban Trail

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Elevated boardwalk from below. Courtesy/Kevin Holsapple

A walk through the trees. Courtesy/Kevin Holsapple

By KEVIN HOLSAPPLE
Los Alamos

The Potential of the Los Alamos Urban Trail

In the heart of Los Alamos, a fairly new pedestrian (and bicycle) artery of concrete and boardwalk shows interesting potential for a new way for residents and visitors to move through the “Secret City.” The Urban Trail, a one-mile multi-use paved route, is a high-quality piece of pedestrian infrastructure that could benefit from enhancements to increase its value.

An Engineering Feat

The physical Read More

Op-Ed: When The Power Goes Out, Natural Gas Still Works

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By THOMAS TIERNEY
Los Alamos

Yesterday’s town-wide power outage reminded Los Alamos how completely modern life depends upon electricity. The lights went out, internet service stopped, electric stovetops went cold, garage doors froze shut, and many residents suddenly lost the ability to prepare a warm meal.

County leaders should keep that reality firmly in mind as they discuss restricting or eliminating natural gas appliances for residential cooking.

Los Alamos experiences recurring power outages. Wind, snow, wildfire mitigation efforts, equipment failures, and grid instability Read More

Op-Ed: When Democracy Stops Talking, New Mexico’s Quiet Failure 

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PATRICIO M. SERNA
Former Chief Justice, Retired
New Mexico Supreme Court 

Democracy does not fail all at once. It erodes quietly, not with the crash of broken laws, but with the silence of unasked questions. In New Mexico, one of the most troubling signs of that erosion is the growing normalization of elections without meaningful public debates. 

Debates are not political theater. They are a civic obligation. They are the one moment in an election cycle where candidates are required to defend their ideas in real time, before the people who grant them power. When debates disappear, democracy Read More

Op/Ed: Petition Circulating To Keep LAMC OBGYN Open

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By NICOLE O’DANIEL
Los Alamos

We, the Los Alamos community and surrounding areas, want to keep labor and delivery (L&D) open at the Los Alamos Medical Center (LAMC). It has been devastating news for many in our community to learn of the closure as, for our community members it is not safer or better for pregnant or laboring women to be forced to travel outside of Los Alamos through cellphone dead zones. The community is coming together via a petition/letter that insists LAMC keep their doors open and continue providing necessary services to the women in our community.

In the formal announcement Read More

Leadership In Action: Moving Forward Hand In Hand Together With Me, Melanee Hand

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By MELANEE HAND
Candidate for Re-election
Los Alamos County Council

If you’ve lived in our community for a while, you’ve probably heard my name. I’m not just a familiar face; I’m someone who has called this place home for over 40 years. Now, I’m asking for your support as I seek a second term as County Councilor — and I have a message that’s as clear as it is compelling: “Move Forward Hand in Hand Together.”

But what does that really mean? For me, it’s more than a catchy slogan. It’s a way of life and leadership. It’s about rolling up my sleeves and working side by side with neighbors, listening carefully, Read More