From left, Los Alamos County Council Chair Kristin Henderson, former Councilor Fran Berting, Los Alamos Historical Society Executive Director Heather McClenahan, Dr. Ben Neal, second from right, and at far right, Bandelier Superintendent Jason Lott join U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich, and seated, U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell and U.S. Secretary of Energy Ernest Moniz at this morning’s signing ceremony, in Washington, D.C., to officially establish the Manhattan Project National Historical Park. Courtesy/NPS

MPNHP Field Team leader Arthur Knox wowed the crowd Tuesday at Fuller Lodge when he said, ‘This is our team’s third stop on the tour of the Manhattan Project National Historic Park sites … it is clear that we saved the best for last.’ Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost.com

Staff Report

The story most likely to have the greatest impact on the Los Alamos community as a whole is the Manhattan Project National Historical Park (MPNHP) designation.

The designation occurred last December and the MPNHP Field Team comprised of representatives from the Department of Energy and National Park Service visited Los Alamos June 2-4. The three-day site visit included tours of historic buildings, as well as high-profile public and stakeholder meetings.

At the public meeting and reception at Fuller Lodge, National Park Service Deputy Regional Director Victor Knox wowed the crowd of some 300 people when he said, “This is our team’s third stop on the tour of the Manhattan Project National Historic Park sites … it is clear that we saved the best for last.”

Knox is the head of park planning, facilities and lands for the National Park Service and the lead on the MPNHP Field Team.

“The development of the atomic bomb by the Manhattan Project changed the history of the US and the world,” Knox said. “The story of the Manhattan Project is a complex story of incredible scientific achievement, unbelievable engineering accomplishments and of men and women who endured multiple hardships in secret to win the war.”

The use of the atomic bomb brought a swift end to WWII and horrific tragedies to the lives of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Knox said, adding that the legacy of nuclear weapons and atomic energy continues to be debated worldwide to this day, as they are technologies that bring both tremendous benefits and risks to the world.

“The NPS is America’s storyteller. We tell the story of our country’s great triumphs as well as those things we aren’t so proud of such as slavery, Japanese internment in WWII and massacres of American Indians,” Knox said. “We are committed to telling the story in all its complexity and controversy and to each person who visits the park reach their own conclusions about the Manhattan project and the atomic age it started.”

Knox explained that the MPNHP will be a partnership park and in order for it to be successful, it will take the combined efforts of the NPS, DOE, local communities and preservation advocates.

https://ladailypost.comcontent/mpnhp-field-team-clearly-saved-best-site-last

Kurt Steinhaus Is New LAPS Superintendent

In March, the Los Alamos Board of Education selected voted to select Dr. Kurt Steinhaus as its new superintendent of schools.

At the awards banquet Thursday in Atlanta from left, CPSE Technical Advisor Gerard Kay, Deputy Chief Justin Grider, Fire Chief Troy Hughes, CFAI Commission Chair Steven Westermann, County Manager Harry Burgess, CPSE Technical Advisor Team Lead Gary Aleshire, IAFF President Bert Quintana and EMS Battalion Chief Ben Stone. Courtesy/LAFD

LAFD Earns International Accredited Agency Status

Affirming its ranking as one of the top fire service organizations in the world, the Los Alamos County Fire Department has earned International Accreditation – for the fourth time in its history.

Police detectives confiscate guns, drugs, paraphernalia and cell  phones during Operation Genesis. Courtesy/LAPD

LAPD Makes Eight Arrests And Confiscate Guns, Cash, Drugs During Operation Genesis 

As part of Operation Genesis, Los Alamos Police Department detectives and specialized officers began executing warrants throughout Los Alamos and White Rock in January, arresting eight people and confiscating guns, cash, drugs, paraphernalia and cell phones.

Detectives also worked with undercover detectives from the Espanola Police Department and conducted joint operations within the Espanola city limits related to these cases. They obtained 10 arrest warrants and eight search warrants related to illegal narcotic sales. Additional arrests from this operation followed.

• Methamphetamine;
• Heroin;
• Cocaine;
• Controlled Prescription Medications;
• Marijuana Wax; and
• Marijuana. 

From supercomputers and climate modeling, to cybersecurity and cancer treatments, Los Alamos National Laboratory worked hard in 2015 to advance science that helps address many of the most pressing challenges.

Zia Realty Group Owner/Broker James Chrobocinski this morning with his sold sign outside the Hilltop House Hotel. Chrobocinski brokered the deal together with Terry Salazar to sell the hotel to Atomic City Investments. Photo by Carol A. Clark/ladailypost

The traditional striped legs for State, from left, Elise Koskelo, Sophia Galvez, Emily Mercer, Talia Dreicer, Marin Kelly, Paulina Burnside, Zoe Hemez, Nica Vasquez and Maddy Foley. Photo by Blake Wood

‘Topper Girls Win 7th Straight XC State Championship!

The Alamos High School Girls Cross Country team won their 7th State Championship in a row, putting four in the top-10 to accumulate only 27 points – 40 points less than 2nd place Albuquerque Academy. 

They had the best performance of the day across all classifications. The ‘Toppers were lead by senior Talia Dreicer, who placed second individually in a time of 18:37 – the third fastest time of the day across all classifications.

Close behind Talia were seniors Sophia Galvez and Maddy Foley, and sophomore Zoe Hemez, in 3rd, 4th, and 6th places respectively – each earning All-State honors.

Freshman Marin Kelly rounded out the ‘Topper scorers in 19th place, with Senior Nica Vasquez just one place behind in 20th. Freshman Paulina Burnside completed the ‘Topper lineup in 41st place. Cross Country is scored by adding the places of the first five runners for each team, after taking out individual qualifiers whose teams did not score. Low score wins.