Opinion

Letter To The Editor: Response To ‘Not One Person Stopped’

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By DALE HUGO LESCHNITZER
White Rock
 
I had to read, with some humor, Stephanie Nakhleh’s letter about her experience concerning a bicycle accident. I also wish to stress, I am not in any way stating that her experience is not valid. However, I think she makes a major leap to believe this applies across the community.
 
In 2012, while the Las Conchas Fire was still raging, my personal home caught on fire and burned badly. I was in Albuquerque at the time. My neighbors stood up, contacted the LAFD (who did a remarkable job), took my dogs in and kept them safe, and contacted me on
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Letter To The Editor: Local Pokémon Go Phenomenon

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By DYLAN ZANOW
Los Alamos

There’s a new phenomenon that’s really big in Los Alamos now — it’s a mobile game called “Pokémon Go”. It has already surpassed Tinder and is soon to overtake Twitter as the most actively-used Android & iOS app. It’s an “augmented reality game” wherein players’ physical locations are tracked via GPS as they travel around the town looking for imaginary creatures called Pokémon, which “spawn” for all players simultaneously at different Read More

Letter To The Editor: What Country Has Better Politics?

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By VERNON KERR
Los Alamos
 
This past week I was passing out campaign cards for New Mexico Supreme Court Justice Judy Nakamura. I handed a card to a gentleman who promptly handed it back saying, ”I don’t do politics.” Another young man refused to even look at the card.
 
I was a bit taken aback. The least I expected was that they were supporting another candidate. No! They did not wish to get involved.
 
I am old enough to remember when good people refused to get involved and we lost a lot of the greatest
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Letter To The Editor: Grateful For School Board Action

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By DIANA MARTINEZ
Senior Program Director
The Family YMCA

As a Los Alamos resident and an employee of a charitable organization, I am humbled and grateful for the courageous and creative actions of the Los Alamos School Board in regard to setting user rates for school facilities for this next year.  

Overall, the Board weighed the need to ensure the facilities were monitored, secure and accessible when lent to community organizations, and was considering new paid monitor fees vs. the current volunteer monitor scenario that frequently left gaps in safety and accessibility.

The Board also

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Letter To The Editor: Pokémon Go Phenomenon In Los Alamos

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By DYLAN ZANOW
Los Alamos
 

There’s a new phenomenon that’s really big in Los Alamos now — it’s a mobile game called “Pokémon Go”. It has already surpassed Tinder and is soon to overtake Twitter as the most actively-used Android & iOS app. It’s an “augmented reality game” wherein players’ physical locations are tracked via GPS as they travel around the town looking for imaginary creatures called Pokémon, which “spawn” for all players simultaneously at different

Read More

Cogbill: Police Deaths In The U.S.

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Chart: Number of police deaths per one million population in the United States. Image by Allen Cogbill
 
By ALLEN COGBILL
Los Alamos

Joel Williams’ letter regarding the number of police deaths in the U.S. was informative. However, his graph was not adjusted for population [increase].

The graph above shows the number of police deaths per one million population.

I note the dramatic fall-off in police deaths after the end of Prohibition. It is entirely possibly that we might experience a similar (relative) drop-off in police deaths if the War on Drugs was abandoned, as Columbia Professor Read More

Letter To The Editor: Guns, Roses, And Race

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By Dr. DOUGLAS T. REILLY
Los Alamos

We remember the race riots of the late 60’s. My wife and I lived in Cleveland, Ohio; we were students at Case Western Reserve University.

She was in the School of Nursing, and I was a physics graduate student at Case. We heard and watched the riots in Watts on radio and TV. When Hough burned, we watched it from near our apartment in Cleveland Heights.

I was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in and around Newark. I remember hearing and watching Newark burn and news from family and friends. I remember when four students were killed at Kent State, not far from Cleveland.

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Williams: Police Killed From 1800 To 2015

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Chart by Joel Williams

 

By JOEL WILLIAMS
Los Alamos
 
Here’s a chart of the number of police killed in the US from 1800 to 2015. The main features are lawlessness (what level would the killing have reach in post 1930, if the FBI had not taken a very strong negative view of the bad guys?) and civil disorder over black integration, which culminated after a decade and a half.

We’ve had a downward trend since the mid-1970’s. The low now appears to be about 110-125 per year (about like post WWII). Makes me wonder what will bring on the next wave. Read More

Letter To The Editor: Kudos To Fire Department

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By CAROL BRONISZ
Los Alamos

Kudos to the Los Alamos Fire Department for the handling of the North Mesa fire on Tuesday. Their quick and skillful response prevented what could have been a disastrous situation with the current dry conditions. 

I wish to convey a personal thank you to all of the firefighters who did an outstanding job. Read More

Los Alamos Police Chief Dino Sgambellone: Perspectives On A National Conversation

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By Chief Dino Sgambellone
Los Alamos Police Department

Recent events at the national level have re-ignited a passionate conversation about police-community relations.

Locally, this conversation, along with the murder of five Dallas Police Officers and police shooting deaths in Louisiana and Minnesota, has also generated some concern within the community.  Specifically, citizens want to know how Los Alamos Police Department officers are trained and what policies are in place that address racial bias and overall professional conduct. 

The Los Alamos Police Department Read More