Opinion

Letter To The Editor: Keeping A Tidy Yard Is More Than Just Appearances Sake

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By DELIA CRUZ-MURPHY
Los Alamos

I understand people are upset by the County Codes calling for people to maintain the weeds in their yard, or minimize the rotting carcasses of cars, and just the general tidiness of one’s yard.

While I do understand I cannot sympathize, nor excuse this risky behavior. Keeping a tidy yard is more than just appearances sake, it is about the real pressing issue of Public Health for the Community.  We live in a part of the country where Bubonic Plague, Hantavirus and Mosquito Borne Illnesses are a continuous concern. The New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) on Read More

Letter To The Editor: It’s Not About The Weeds, Ms. Austin

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By KHAL SPENCER
Los Alamos
 
Like Michelle Austin (link), I grew up in a rural New York State community. In  my case, it was in the sixties.
 
Like Michelle, we grew up where there  were no fences and our acre and a half lot merged with all the other lots on the street. That made for great pickup softball and football games as we could overrun several lots with outfields and goalposts. 
 
People had a lot of tolerance for each other’s idiosyncrasies. The only time I could recall my stepdad admonishing a neighbor’s kid was when the kid was shooting at birds
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Letter To The Editor: Note On Trump’s UNGA Address

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By DR. T. DOUGLAS REILLY
Los Alamos
 
Tuesday I read a transcript of and Guardian article on President Trump’s address to the UN General Assembly with sadness and disbelief. The book title, Cry the Beloved Country, comes to mind; also the quote of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, “there never was a good war, or a bad peace…”
 
“When will we ever learn, when will we ever learn?”
 
“the dead have seen the end of war” (Plato)
 
I wish to add President John Quincy Adams definition of a leader:
 
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and
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Letter To The Editor: Time Los Alamos Bans All Food For Humans

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By PAM GARRETT
Los Alamos
 
I think it time that Los Alamos ban all food for humans. We all know that most food offered here is, well, expensive, and of questionable quality anyway.
 
Everyone can periodically leave the hill for meals, and leave our money and waste food outside the county. Then we will have fewer bears, squirrels, deer, crows, etc. Cut down and burn all fruit trees, plow under all backyard crops, keep all pets on leash or indoors at all times.
 
If no one eats here, it is less of a burden to keep our rolling trash carts in the house so as not to allow any unpleasant smells outdoors.
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Letter To The Editor: Changes To New Mexico STEM-Ready Science Standards

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By ELENA E. GIORGI
Los Alamos
New Mexico Public Education Department (PED) recently released a draft of proposed changes to New Mexico STEM-ready science standards to be voted during the hearing Oct. 16.
 
They can be read in full on the PED website (https:////ped.state.nm.us/ped/PublicNotices.html), under rule 6.29.10. These proposed changes scrap facts like the age of the Earth and the fact that temperatures have been steadily rising in the past years. The word evolution has also been taken out.
 
As a mother, a scientist, and a science educator, I find such censoring alarming,
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Letter To The Editor: About My High Weeds And Ugly Yard

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By MICHELLE AUSTIN
Los Alamos

When I was a little girl growing up in New York State in the 1970s, my parents bought their first house in a small village with good schools to raise their family. We moved into a one story ranch on a culdesac where all the other houses looked pretty much the same with manicured lawns and an elm tree out front. Kids played in the streets until the sun went down and we all had big back yards to play in. Back then fencing wasn’t common so we kids could run from back yard to back yard as though it was all common land. It was the American dream for a young family.

Unfortunately, my

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Letter To The Editor: Another Trash Day Success Story

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By JASON HAGAN
Los Alamos

The alarm blares … I wake from my slumber. I stagger down into the basement and enter the code into the cipher lock, place my hand into the hand geometry scanner and look into the retinal scanner, which opens our bear proof vault.

Man, it really stinks in here. I’d install a vent to the outside, but the smell would likely attract baby bears that would climb down the duct … and they’d likely start reproducing. Ever seen Gremlins??

I carefully wheel the bin out and onto our freight elevator. It rises up into the high bay. “4:27 a.m. You’ve got this Jason …You’ve got this. Being

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Letter To The Editor: County Government Overreacts … Again

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By ROBERT VISEL
Los Alamos

First the County wants to fine the residents of Los Alamos for weeds and peeling paint. Now they want to fine residents for keeping their trash bins outside? This is a growing trend with our local politicians. All it takes is one little whiny cry baby to file a complaint and the County overreacts.

Every time the County can’t control their wasteful and excessive spending they raise the Utility Rates and Property Taxes. Every time there is a trivial complaint they have a “knee jerk” response without thinking things through. An idiot causes an automobile accident where there Read More

Letter To The Editor: Regarding Old Smith’s Building

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By ROB BARAN
Los Alamos

I would like to follow-on with Kathy Willcut’s good idea (link); the County can use that space for some of it’s recreational initiatives!

I was dismayed to read that the Kroger company has such wide latitude in choosing which businesses can move into the old Smith’s space.  However, Kroger owns the land, so they can do as they please. But with the County pressing forward with the recreational initiatives (made famous … or ‘infamous’ by the Rec Bond debate), why not use that perfectly sited, wide space with ample parking for one Read More

Letter To The Editor: Following Code Violation Ordinance Issue Closely

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By ANNA DILLANE
Community member
Home and Business owner

I have been following this Code Violation Ordinance issue closely and wanted to add my two cents. Our neighbors are frustrated. They are being told that they have to undertake large and small home repair projects within unreasonable time limits. People are hurting.

Council members are hearing about this and trying to figure out what to do.

One request made of the public is to meet with councilors individually to talk about specific situations. Councilor James Chrobocinski has met with an affected group and called for emails from others Read More