Opinion

Letter To The Editor: The Problem Is The Perception…

by

By RICK NEBEL
Los Alamos

This is a response to my old friend Pete Sheehey’s recent article. While I don’t have an issue with anything that Pete says, I think that the message it conveys has some problems.

First of all, it is highly unlikely that closing “non-essential” businesses has prevented a single death or even a single infection in Los Alamos county. Why? Because the overwhelming number of workers in Los Alamos have been deemed “essential”. 

My understanding is that 95 percent of the GRT collected by the county comes from LANL. That would indicate that the number of employees at LANL outnumber Read More

Letter To The Editor: Keep Dark Money Out Of Politics (When It’s Convenient)

by

By MARLENE K. SCHWALIE
Santa Fe

Despite a CD3 candidate’s convoluted efforts to keep voters in the dark, dark money is NEVER OK.

OpenSecrets defines dark money as “political spending meant to influence the decision of a voter, where the donor is not disclosed and the source of the money is unknown”, regardless of whether the ad is scathing or glowing.

DM is not to be conflated with independent expenditures from groups with known agendas who have endorsed a candidate. Even corporate PACs have some degree of transparency.

A candidate doesn’t get to selectively decide that dark money is bad when it’s Read More

New Mexico Public Health Association Issues Letter To Governor On Covid-19 Response

by

By JUSTIN GAROUTTE, MPH
Co-Chair, NMPHA Policy Committee

Representing public health professionals leading the fight against COVID-19, the New Mexico Public Health Association (NMPHA) is grateful to Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham and her staff for providing decisive, data-driven leadership and maintaining the stay-at-home order while entering Phase One of reopening.

The NMPHA calls for equity in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we urge the Governor to remain steadfast in her resolve to protect all families in New Mexico. As defined by the World Health Organization, “Equity Read More

Letter To The Editor: Ready For Prime Time…

by

By Pamela Pierce, JD
Santa Fe

New Mexico attracts strong candidates for elected positions, just as it has for the 3rd Congressional District’s primary election.

If this were a State House seat, it would be difficult to decide. Being “liked” and loving New Mexico  would be enough. Not so for Congress. Valerie Plame is the only candidate qualified at this level.

Valerie has held her own on CNN, MSNBC, POTUS radio and even FOX News; she has articulated complex positions on a National stage. She has National plans, protective of regional interests, on healthcare, the economy, the environment, immigration, Read More

Letter To The Editor: Let’s Get Behind Re-Opening Effort Of Community; Schools In Los Alamos And Help Make It Work

by

By Judy McKenzie 
Los Alamos

Things are certainly looking different in our world from a short time ago.

Education is a big one. Our schools stepped up to the challenge quickly and did a great job of making education a priority. It was not perfect, but it kept our students in contact.

A task force has been put into place, encompassing representatives from all aspects of our community, and are charged with making a safe path into the new year.

It will certainly look different and will not be perfect. Things will not be comfortable for everyone but will be what it has to be for now.

The safety and well being

Read More

Letter To The Editor: Even A Pandemic Can’t Seem To Bring Us Together … We Have To Find A Way To Do Better

by

By JARED BARLIANT
Santa Fe

We are paying an incredibly high price for the degradation of our politics, democratic institutions, and civil discourse.

For the first three years of this presidency, it seemed like the attacks on minorities, immigrants, the rule of law, a free press, the environment, truth, and common decency were as bad as it could get.

Now, unfortunately, we have seen how much more damage can be done by the divisiveness and immorality coming from the top. It is costing lives, livelihoods, and futures. Even a pandemic can’t seem to bring us together. Somehow, we have to find a way to Read More

Letter To The Editor: Face Masks And Vaccines

by

By GREG WHITE
Democratic Candidate
Los Alamos County Council

A lot of people claim wearing a face mask is unconstitutional, this is a free country you can’t make me wear one, or wearing a mask is all about control of me not safety.

I have to ask do those things also apply to the laws requiring covering your genitals in public? How about wearing shoes and shirts in supermarkets and restaurants? How about an operating room?

Can doctors and nurses just say I don’t believe infections are real because Trump, Hannity and Rush say their not, so it’s my right not to wear a face mask when I operate Read More

Letter To The Editor: Support John Blair For CD3

by

By JEAN DEWART
Los Alamos

I support John Blair as the best qualified candidate in the June Democratic Primary for New Mexico Congressional District 3 (CD3) Representative.

Many of the CD3 candidates share similar policy positions – expanding health care for all New Mexicans, addressing gun violence, getting big money out of politics, and aggressively addressing climate change. 

Where John Blair stands out, is in his experience working at the state and federal levels: working for New Mexico congressmen (Bingaman and Heinrich), working for the Interior Department in the Obama administration, Read More

The Importance Of Voting Valerie Plame Into Congress

by

Drs. Tom Csanadi and Marvel Harrison earlier this year working on the medical team of the Semester At Sea World Odyssey. Courtesy photo

By Tom Csanadi, MD and
Marvel Harrison, PhD

For nearly four decades we served the health needs of Northern New Mexico through Public Health, Indian Health Service and private practice, supporting patient families throughout Rio Arriba, Los Alamos and Santa Fe Counties with pediatric and behavioral healthcare.

We raised our children in New Mexico and regardless of where on the globe we work and roam at this stage of our career and lives we care deeply for the people Read More

Former LAHS School Principal Dr. Lynne Saccaro Touched By Kindnesses, Acts Of Collaboration For Class Of 2020

by

By LYNNE SACCARO
Former Principal
Los Alamos High School

As I read about the celebrations and efforts being made to honor the Los Alamos High School Class of 2020 because of the pandemic, I can’t help but think about the LAHS Class of 2000 and what happened to their senior year celebrations and graduation because of the Cerro Grande Fire.

Lawry Mann was on the County Council at the time of the fire when I was LAHS principal. He and I had a conversation about what we could do about senior prom. Lawry managed to persuade and cajole Fuller Lodge to allow us to hold prom there – the first time ever an event of that

Read More