Politics

New Mexico: 50,683 Residents Have Signed Up For Coverage Through HealthCare.gov

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CMS News:
 
In New Mexico, 50,683 residents have signed up for coverage through healthcare.gov since open enrollment began Nov. 1. 
 
Nationwide 8.8 million Americans have signed up for coverage compared to about 8.6 million plan selections last year at this time. Total plan selections as of Dec. 31, which include auto reenrollments, consist of 2.2 million new consumers and 6.6 million returning consumers. Among returning consumers, two thirds, or 4.4 million, actively selected a plan, an increase from last year’s already high levels of consumer engagement.
 
“With
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Letter To The Editor: Voting Yes On School Bond Just Makes Good Sense!

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By ANDREA CUNNINGHAM
LAPS School Board

Have you ever had a chance encounter where a random conversation stays with you? I recently had that experience while traveling when I happened to sit near a chemistry professor from UNM’s Albuquerque Campus. After exchanging pleasantries, I happened to mention that I was from Los Alamos. His first reaction was, “They have great schools in Los Alamos! I pay $21,000 a year to send my child to (Albuquerque) Academy to get the same caliber of education that you guys get for free!”

That statement really sticks with me as I check “yes” on my ballot and proudly support Read More

Letter To The Editor: UNM-LA Is A Great Community Asset

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By TROY HUGHES
Los Alamos

Please join me in voting yes and supporting our local college, UNM-LA. Los Alamos residents are intelligent, caring, and sharing people. As citizens we enjoy great community assets including our schools, roads, parks, trails, libraries, and other public amenities. At times directly, but most often indirectly through our elected officials, we as a community decide which of these amenities we desire and are willing to pay for through our local taxes.

As citizens we are tasked with directly deciding the fate of UNM-LA. We really have three choices: do nothing (not voting), Read More

Heinrich On Public Lands Transfer Rule Change

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U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich
 
SENATE News:
 
WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), a member of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released the following statement on the passage of the U.S. House of Representatives’ Rules Package, which included a rule change that will make it easier for Congress to give away public lands:
 
“House Republicans slipped a provision into their new rules to make it easier to give away our public lands–for free. This fiscally irresponsible move would rob the American people of the
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Letter To The Editor: Vote ‘For’ Bond To Continue Process To Upgrade School Facilities

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By MORRIE PONGRATZ
Former County Councilor and former School Board member

One of the frustrations during my years on the School Board was that all school district operational funds are allocated by the state on a per-pupil basis, regardless of local cost-of-living. Teachers are paid from the operational fund and it costs more to live in Los Alamos. We found that needed maintenance and utility costs for our aging facilities were robbing the operational fund of money that could go to staff salaries.

We formed a team to examine the difference between continuing to patch buildings with operational Read More

Sheehey: Support LA Public Schools And UNM-LA

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By PETE SHEEHEY
Los Alamos County Councilor

Having hada scientific career in Los Alamos, I know I owe a lot to good public education. That’s one of the reasons I will vote Yes for the 2017 Los Alamos Public Schools Bond and the UNM-LA 1-mil levy. Both institutions have solid records of getting maximum value for taxpayers’ dollars. These two funding sources will allow them to continue their important contributions to our community.

The LAPS Bond will not increase our property taxes. It will continue the Schools’ strategic funding plan approved by voters in 2009 and 2013. This stage of the plan will Read More

Dan Lewis To Run For Albuquerque Mayor

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Albuquerque business leader Dan Lewis
 
STATE News:
 
Albuquerque business leader and City Councilor Dan Lewis will make his official announcement to run for Mayor of Albuquerque.
 
He will discuss the challenges the city faces and lay out his plan and vision for the future of Albuquerque during a talk at 3 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 8 at the FatPipe ABQ (Old Albuquerque High School Library), 200 Broadway Blvd NE.
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UNM Acting President To Visit UNM-LA Monday

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University of New Mexico Acting President Chaouki Abdallah  

UNM-LA News:

University of New Mexico (UNM) Acting President Chaouki Abdallah, who also serves as Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs, will visit UNM-Los Alamos (UNM-LA) Monday, Jan. 9 for an evening of events.

Starting at 5:15 p.m., the community is invited to meet with President Abdallah and other UNM individuals representing Anderson School of Management and the School of Engineering. At 5:30 p.m., President Abdallah will share a few remarks about UNM, the role of UNM-LA, and the importance of the Read More

Governor Announces More Students Taking AP Courses And Earning College Credit

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New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez
 
STATE News:
 
ALBUQUERQUE — Gov. Susana Martinez has announced that more students than ever before are taking Advanced Placement classes and earning college credit as a result of passing the end-of-course exams.
 
In addition, New Mexico is also a national leader in AP access for low-income students and year-over-year percentage growth in students taking AP exams.
 
“AP courses are some of the most challenging courses our high school students can take,” Martinez said. “Results like these show yet again that our students
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