OP/ED

Bernstein: Response To Mr. Skolnik

by

By CHRISTINE BERNSTEIN
Los Alamos School Board Member

Editor’s note: Christine Bernstein is running for re-election in District 3.

“…Lauren’s main opponent in this race, Christine Bernstein, has not served the community well as a member of the School Board. The main role of the School Board is to hire a superintendent. Yet, the School Board of which Ms. Bernstein is a part failed at this task, in a manner that cost us educationally and financially. In addition, it appears that Ms. Bernstein participated in the near silence of the School Board on matters related to COVID and chronic absenteeism, Read More

Op-Ed: The Power Of You – Transforming Lives, Building Community

by

By CINDY PADILLA
Executive Director
United Way of Northern New Mexico

In a world that often leaves us questioning our worth, it is essential to remember one simple truth: You are valuable. You are loved. You are enough. These words may seem fleeting in our daily lives, but they carry a profound significance, especially in the context of our community.

United Way of Northern New Mexico (UWNNM) stands as a beacon of hope and support, driven by the belief in the transformative power of individuals like you. Through your unwavering support, we have been able to provide support to over 30 local nonprofit Read More

Legislator OpEd: New Fines And Fees Law

by

By Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth
Sen. Crystal Diamond Brantley, and
Rep. Christine Chandler

At a time when politics are more divisive than ever, New Mexicans have meaningful bipartisan change to celebrate. A new state law went into effect June 16 mandating the Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) no longer suspend driver’s licenses for simply missing an appearance or payment in minor traffic cases. While this highly technical change may sound tedious, it has an enormous impact. 

License suspensions are a severe punishment in a state like ours that relies so heavily on driving. When people lose Read More

Devolder: A Winning Strategy For Both Political Parties

by

By MARK DEVOLDER
Los Alamos

Whether you believe in global warming or not, it has been a hot, dry summer.  I can remember a time when:

1) it snowed in the Jemez Mountains in September,

2) about 2 feet of snow fell in the Jemez Mountains around Thanksgiving,

3) whatever snow was on the ground in the Jemez Mountains around Dec. 10 stayed around for most of the winter, and

4) the monsoon season began around the third week in June.

With the progression of time, the weather has changed. A regulator for the State of New Mexico told me recently that New Mexico is currently involved in a thousand-year drought. Long Read More

Op-Ed: Zero Childcare Copays … A Lifeline For NM Parents

by

By PATRICIA BUSTILLOS 
OLÉ

I became a mom when I was 15 years old, which is the same age when I first began to struggle to access childcare. I was born in Chihuahua, México and later immigrated to the United States.

Being a young mother is a huge challenge, and being undocumented and having language barriers made it even more difficult for me, especially when it came to accessing childcare. I didn’t understand what was available to me and my children because I didn’t understand what my rights were. I raised five kids on my single income, and there were times where finding childcare for my children felt Read More

Op-Ed: The Future Of Hydrogen In New Mexico

by

DR. VAN ROMERO 
New Mexico Tech
Vice President of Special Research Programs
Professor of Physics 

The time is now for New Mexico to move toward a new energy future. The Department of Energy is investing $7 billion in regional clean energy Hydrogen Hubs. These Hubs will produce, store, and burn hydrogen – a fuel that will help us meet the critical energy needs of our communities without emitting carbon, depending on how it is produced and managed.

A focus on hydrogen will benefit New Mexico energy landscape. First, hydrogen presents New Mexico with the opportunity to diversify our energy economy Read More

Secretary Propst: As New Mexico State Parks Celebrate 90th Anniversary, It’s Time To Boost Our Investment In These Hidden Gems

by

Scene from the 2nd annual Turquoise Trail Pack Burro Race May 6 in Cerrillos Hills State Park. Courtesy/EMNRD

By SARAH COTTRELL PROPST
EMNRD Secretary

On May 6, under a blue New Mexico sky, I stood next to a trail in Cerrillos Hills State Park as pack burros and their human partners raced by. The 2nd annual Turquoise Trail Pack Burro Race illustrated what New Mexico’s state parks do best: Bring people outside, provide education, and encourage economic activity in our parks’ gateway communities, from restaurants to guides and other outdoor recreation businesses. 

State Parks—a New Mexico Energy, Read More

Benson: Jobs For Northern New Mexico … Los Alamos Isn’t The Place For A Pit Factory

by

By JODY BENSON
Los Alamos

Hey! It’s Oppie month celebrating the geniuses who built the bomb. Los Alamos is still building bombs. Maybe we could rethink what requires genius.

On Tuesday at the County Council Work Session, Kelly Beierschmitt, LANL Deputy Director of Operations, will present TRIAD’s Growth and Mission Support report. His PowerPoint shows accomplishments such as salary distribution from Bernalillo to Taos, and investments in transportation, student programs, site modernization, and childcare.

A slide also talks about exploring federal off-site campuses for low-hazard, Read More

Macek: Existence Of Snakes Depends On Humans

by

By JAN MACEK
Los Alamos

World Snake Day is celebrated every year on July 16 to raise awareness about the different types of snake species and the important role they play in maintaining ecological balance. 

Perhaps you missed the articles last year that stated, “One-fifth of all snakes, turtles, and other reptiles face extinction. More than a fifth of all reptilian species — over 1,800 — are threatened with extinction, and 31 species have permanently vanished already, according to a new study in the journal  Nature.” https://www.vox.com/2022/4/27/23040966/snakes-turtles-lizards-reptiles-extinction Read More

Ozment: Utilities Assistance Needs Real Change

by

By CAT OZMENT
Los Alamos

Utilities assistance is not glamorous, but it matters, especially when rates are increasing nationwide and in Los Alamos  Our local, donation-based Utilities Assistance Program (UAP) is a good start, but it is underused by people who qualify, and donations have decreased in the last few years for a variety of reasons. On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, the Board of Public Utilities (BPU) will consider modifications to the program that are wholly inadequate to the needs of the community.

This LTE asks the community for two possible actions:

1) Email BPU bpu@lacnm.us and Read More