State

Volunteers Needed to Plant Trees; Post Las Conchas Fire

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SFNF News:

The Santa Fe National Forest is seeking volunteers for tree planting efforts within the 2011 Las Conchas fire burn area near Los Alamos.

Exact dates are dependent upon weather, soil moistures and soil temperatures, but possible dates are the Fridays and Saturdays of April 12, 13 and 19, 20.

A 56-acre area around the Nordic Ski Trails at the base of Pajarito Ski Hill within the burn area will be planted with Douglas Fir trees.

The effort is part of a larger contracted planting initiative mostly in the Jemez District involving about 2,000 acres and almost half a million trees.

Trees were Read More

Bill Offers Help to Families of the Mentally Ill Who End Up in Jail

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HB 588 Gets “Do Pass”

SANTA FE – Emotional testimony was heard Tuesday in the House Health, Government, and Indian Affairs Committee regarding House Bill 588 “Community Engagement Teams” (CETs.)

HB 588 sponsored by House Majority Leader, Rick Miera (D-Bernalillo-11) establishes methods of intervention for families who are caring for their loved ones who are mentally ill and unable to care for themselves.

In gut wrenching testimony, some people described how their mentally ill family members often cycle in and out of jail or hospitals or end up homeless.

One police officer said the Bernalillo Read More

Las Conchas Fire Area Closures and Hazards

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SFNF News:

  • Before visiting your public lands, “Know Before You Go”. Call ahead and check conditions.

The Santa Fe National Forest reminds the public that even though it is winter and snow is on the ground, the Las Conchas Fire Area restrictions are still in effect on the Jemez Ranger District due to existing safety hazards and risk for resource damage.

Motorized travel is restricted to roads that have been assessed and cleared of major public safety hazards. However, currently the roads are temporarily closed due to snow and road surface protection.

Only FR 289 from N.M. 4 to the junction of FR 36, Read More

Governor Calls Out Rep. Garcia Richard

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Gov. Susana Martinez

By GREG KENDALL
Los Alamos Daily Post

This morning on the KRSN AM 1490 morning show, Gov. Susana Martinez accused Rep. Stephanie Garcia Richard of breaking her campaign promise to voters in Los Alamos with regard to driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants (House Bill 606.)

Garcia Richard is on record during her campaign for favoring the repeal of the current law, which grants driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, saying “It’s a bad law that needs to be changed.”

It appears Garcia Richard was trying to do just that through her vote yesterday. Read More

Volunteer Opportunities on Santa Fe National Forest

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SFNF News:

The Santa Fe National Forest is offering spring trail projects to volunteers to build new sections of trail.

Specific projects include construction of winding trails and retaining walls. There are six days from which to choose and there is no experience required.

The trail projects will be hosted on the Dead Dog Trail, located west of Santa Fe in the Caja del Rio for the following dates from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. each day:

  • Friday, March 8
  • Sunday, March 17
  • Saturday, March 30
  • Saturday, April 13
  • Friday, April 19
  • * * Saturday, April 20
  • Sunday, May 19

Trail workday attire for everyone includes long Read More

LANS LLC Recognizes Rep. Nick Salazar Today

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Rep. Nick Salazar

LANL News:

SANTA FE – Rep. Nick Salazar, D-Colfax, Mora, Rio Arriba, San Miguel, will be recognized today, March 6, by Los Alamos National Security LLC for the “Lifetime Achievement Award” he received from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) earlier this year.

Salazar serves on the Board of Directors of LANL and will be video-conferencing into the board meeting of LANS LLC, to be officially recognized by LANL Director Charlie McMillan.

Salazar has been associated with the Lab for more than 60 years, as an employee, associate and now as a member of the Board of Directors.

He Read More

NM House of Representatives Highlights March 5

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STATE News:

 

On the Floor

  • House Education Committee Substitute For House Bill 27 (“Expand Lottery Scholarship Eligibility”) sponsored Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton, passed the House with a vote of 49-13. The legislation will extend the Legislative Lottery Scholarship eligibility to students who are accepted to attend a two-year state educational institution within two years of completion of a high school curriculum at a public or accredited private NM high school, receiving a high school equivalency diploma, beginning service in the US armed forces, or honorable service or medical
Read More

NMDOT Begins Work March 11 on Bishops Lodge Road and Paseo de Peralta Intersection

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NMDOT News:

Santa Fe – The New Mexico Department of Transportation will begin work Monday, March 11 on the intersection of Paseo de Peralta and Bishops Lodge Road/Washington Avenue in Santa Fe.

Beginning next week, Bishops Lodge Road will be closed from Paseo de Peralta to Artist Road.Pedestrians will still have access to Bishops Lodge Road but motorists will be detoured onto Murales Road and Old Taos Highway.

In addition, the north half of Paseo de Peralta will be closed from Old Taos Highway to Magdalena Road.

Work will include roadway reconstruction, new signage, roadway striping, signal Read More

Public Hearing March 20 on N.M. 502

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NMDOT News:

Public Hearing and Availability of Environmental Assessment is March 6 through April 8 for:

  • N.M. 30 Improvement Project
  • N.M. 502 to U.S. 84/285
  • C.N. 5100440 (formerly C.N. 3980)

Hearing Date: Wednesday, March 20
Hearing Time: 4–6 p.m. open house with 4:30 p.m. presentation
Location: Santa Clara Pueblo Senior Center

Project Purpose: The New Mexico Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration is proposing to improve N.M. 30 from the N.M. 502 Interchange in Santa Fe County to the U.S. 84/285 intersection in Española.

purpose of the N.M. 30 improvement project Read More

Letter to the Editor: A Person’s Opinion Does Not a Fact Make

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By JANIE O’ROURKE

Opinions – we all have them and we are very attached to them. But a person’s opinion does not a fact make.

An opinion worth having should be supported by facts. I recently read a couple of letters in the Monitor and Los Alamos Daily Post that were filled with very strong opinions regarding Trinity Drive and roundabouts.

How should we judge these opinions? First let’s look at the facts regarding roundabouts as published by reputable and mainstream engineering organizations.

As an example, the Federal Highway Administration sponsored a study to determine

Read More