Opinion

By JUDY PRONO

Today is Equal Pay Day. It marks how far into the year a woman must work to earn as much as a man earned in the previous year.

The day is a troubling marker of how far we have to go before we close the gender pay gap. Women working full time, year round, in the US still earn an average of 78 cents for every dollar earned by men.

Although the pay gap has narrowed since the1960s, this improvement is due largely to women’s progress in education and workforce participation in the 70s and 80s. By contrast, closure has stalled over the past decade, with the trend Read More

By REBECCA SHANKLAND

I’m a bit puzzled about the sense of outrage expressed by people who’d like to keep the convenience of having “free” (Smith’s does pay for them) single-use (I know, lots of people re-use them, which is great) plastic bags.

In 2008-2009 a group of kids in grades 4-6 (the Kinnikinnick Club) wanted to do something for the world. They researched small actions that could have a large effect and decided to ask Smith’s to encourage the use of cloth bags instead of paper or plastic. They gave a nice presentation to the Smith’s employees and Smith’s put up the signs you see now Read More

By STEVE PATTILLO

While the possibility of joint management of the preserve by the National Park Service and Jemez Pueblo is possibly a good idea: I am against the holding, by the National Park Service, of the Valles “in trust” for the pueblo.

The Pueblo have repeatedly tried and failed to gain control of the Valles through the courts and appears to now be attempting to create facts on the ground as a method of eventually gaining control.

I object to this backdoor effort. Read More

By MARK JONES, Chair

The United States used over 100 billion plastic bags in 2009. Significant resources are used to create these bags –oil or natural gas are used as the feedstock. And considerable energy is used transporting them to the stores where they are dispensed.

The very idea of using scarce and expensive resources on an item intended to be used once, for a few hours, and then thrown away is the antithesis of sustainability.

These bags are intended to be used once to carry groceries or other purchases to the car, then to the house, and then be discarded. Many Read More

By LISA JANE SMITH

The neighborhood, which surrounds Aspen school isn’t scheduled for curbside pickup until April 27.

County requests that trash not be placed outside more than two days prior to pickup date.

A home at 2148 3rd St. has had rubbish in their yard since mid March. Also, 3226 B Walnut St. has prematurely placed trash on the street. Read More

By MAGGIE DURHAM
Los Alamos

Yes, dogs do bark for a reason! And a dog that barks all night long is usually saying,”Let me in! I want to be with you!”

Besides being an extreme annoyance to those of us who sleep at night and work during the day, are YOU not abusing this poor lonely creature? Read More

By LUCAS HERNDON, Solar Ambassador
Positive Energy Solar, Las Cruces

You might wonder – who is benefitting from solar PV being installed on homes, businesses, schools and cities in New Mexico? Is it wealthy individuals with lots of spare cash or average New Mexicans? Recent studies show that working class New Mexicans benefit in two significant ways – job creation and reduced energy costs. 

Consider that the solar industry added jobs nearly 20 times faster than the national average in 2014. Right now, 1,600 New Mexicans make their living in the solar industry. By contrast, Read More

By SHILOH DURAN

Hello, I would like to address the families who are complaining about the “non-stop” dog barking:

• First off, you obviously do not have animals; and
• Second off, it’s a part of life. Dogs bark. Get over it.

It is considered animal abuse to remove an animal’s vocal cords. It’s the same as taking away your vocal cords. We don’t remove people’s vocal cords every time they are annoying, loud, or make us mad. So we shouldn’t do it to animals.

God gave them barking for a reason, to let us know what is going on. Dogs bark at people Read More