Politics

Los Alamos County Submits Comments To NNSA On Draft Solicitation For LANL Site Management And Operating Contract Competition

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COUNTY News:

Both County Council Chair David Izraelevitz and County Manager Harry Burgess submitted letters to NNSA Wednesday outlining concerns about the draft solicitation for LANL site management and operating contract competition, just ahead of the July 26 comment deadline.

Burgess’ letter highlighted primary concerns that the County would like to see addressed, and the letter from Chair Izraelevitz offered more details and attached documentation.

Burgess listed 13 points in his letter, which ranged from concerns over the structure of the contract to a lack of recognition and language Read More

Annual Sackcloth And Ashes Hiroshima Day Peace Vigil Comes To Los Alamos Aug. 5

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Scene from a previous sackcloth and ashes peace vigil gathering at Ashley Pond Park. Courtesy/CCNS

CCNS News:

 
People are scheduled to gather at 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 5 at Ashley Pond Park in Los Alamos to participate in the annual sackcloth and ashes peace vigil to commemorate Hiroshima Day.
Former Catholic priest John Dear and Jay Coghlan of Nuclear Watch New Mexico, will be speaking at the Peace Vigil.
There will be a quiet walk, then sitting in sackcloth and ashes for 30 minutes, then returning to the park, where participants will reflect together on the experience as well as the current
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Udall To Protect Medicaid For New Mexico Families

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U.S. Sen. Tom Udall
 
U.S. SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — As the Senate continues to debate the Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act and drastically cut Medicaid, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall will vote for a measure to protect Medicaid coverage in New Mexico and across the country. 
 
“Medicaid is quite simply a lifeline for New Mexico. Across our state, more than 900,000 New Mexicans are able to see a doctor when they get sick, without the fear of going broke, thanks to the coverage they receive under Medicaid. Many of these folks are
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Community Invited To Meet Gubernatorial Candidate Peter DeBenedittis In Los Alamos Monday

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Meet gubernatorial candidate Peter DeBenedittis at 6 p.m. Monday at The Karen Wray Gallery in downtown Los Alamos. Courtesy photo

POLITICAL News:

SANTA FE — Progressive Democratic candidate for governor of New Mexico, Peter DeBenedittis, will be in Los Alamos at 6 p.m. Monday at The Karen Wray Gallery, 1247 Central Ave., Suite D2. All are welcome.

The candidate is eager to meet Los Alamos residents and to hear their ideas on how New Mexico’s economy, education, and health care systems can be brought from being “worst to first.”

Peter DeBenedittis has lived in Santa Fe since 1995 Read More

County Council Tables Sheriff’s Office Resolution

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It was a roller coaster ride during the Los Alamos County Council’s special meeting Wednesday night in council chambers. The room was packed with residents who offered their thoughts on Councilor Pete Sheehey’s proposed resolution to restore the duties of the Sheriff’s Office. The resolution would provide a budget of $200,000 to cover the duties, hire a fulltime deputy, an administrative assistant and to attend training and other expenses. Furthermore, the resolution would provide vehicles as needed to the Sheriff’s office. During the course of the meeting, Read More

U.S. Sen. Tom Udall Holds Listening Session On Human Trafficking In New Mexico’s Indian Country

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From the Office of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, vice chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, held a stakeholder meeting on ways to more effectively prevent, prosecute, and improve data collection on human trafficking in Indian Country.

Federal data on human trafficking in Native communities is limited, but available information suggests human trafficking in the United States frequently targets vulnerable populations, which would include Native Americans who disproportionately face high rates of poverty and trauma.

In order to address Read More

AG Balderas Unveils New PSAs Launching Statewide Medicaid Fraud And Facility Abuse & Neglect Detection

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STATE News:

  • This is the first time an Attorney General in New Mexico has requested that the federal government allow the office to proactively search through data to identify patterns of fraud

ALBUQUERQUE – Wednesday afternoon, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced a new statewide Medicaid Fraud and Facility Abuse & Neglect Detection Initiative that will utilize a new proactive approach of identifying patterns of fraud.

Attorney General Balderas also will be contacting state agencies and Medicaid providers regarding the new initiative and asking for the partnership of both Read More

Pearce: Seven Years Of Dodd-Frank

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U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE ― Congressman Steve Pearce released the following statement on the signing of the Dodd-Frank Act seven years ago:
 
“Today marks the 7th anniversary of the Dodd-Frank Act, creator of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Out of all the impacts of Dodd-Frank, it is the damaging effects that the CFPB had on small and rural communities that stands out the most. What was supposed to serve as a consumer watchdog, quickly evolved into a machine that over-regulated our local banks out of existence. I have spent the last 20 years fighting
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Pearce Statement On CFPB Arbitration Rule

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U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce
 
U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― The House of Representatives has voted to pass House Joint Resolution 111 to disapprove of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) final rule that prohibits financial service providers from using arbitration.
 
“The CFPB enacts rules that hurt rural communities, like ours in New Mexico, more than any other. Rather than provide true protections, as originally intended to do, the CFPB works in its own interest without any accountability or transparency. This anti-arbitration
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Interior Not Top-Heavy Enough To Relieve Field

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Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke
 
DOI News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has repeatedly said he wants to fill growing staff shortfalls in national parks and refuges by moving employees from headquarters and regional offices to “front line” field positions.
 
But figures obtained by Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) indicate that there are not enough bodies in these agencies’ rear echelons to fill the gaps.
 
PEER looked at staffing in the National Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (FWS) in 2007,
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