Political News – Page 566

Councilor Maestas Announces Re-Election Campaign

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 10, 2017

Santa Fe City Councilor Joseph Maestas

STATE News:

SANTA FE — Santa Fe City Councilor Joseph Maestas announced July 6 his intent to continue serving as City Councilor to District 2 residents and seek another term in office. He pledged to help restore the public’s trust in City Hall by increasing accountability, reforming the city government’s management, and uniting a divided community.

Councilor Maestas released the following statement:

“Over the last 3.5 years, I have worked hard to champion policies to end bad government financial practices costing the city millions, Read More

Heinrich Issues Statement On June Jobs Report

Submitted by Kirsten Laskey (ladp admin) on July 8, 2017

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich

U.S. SENATE News:

U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Ranking Member of the Joint Economic Committee, recently issued the following statement after the Department of Labor announced 222,000 jobs were added in June:

“Today’s jobs report underscores the risk that Republican’s TrumpCare poses for the U.S. economy. Health care, as the fastest growing sector, is an important economic driver, and TrumpCare threatens this growth. While some parts of this country have recovered and surged ahead after the financial crisis, Read More

Letter To The Editor: About Government Regulation…

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 7, 2017

By RICHARD NEBEL

Los Alamos

I would like to take issue with Ed Brinbaum’s recent letter (link) on government regulation. Government (over)regulation can be a serious problem. Let me give you some examples.

When I was an undergraduate student in the early 1970s, I worked a couple of summers for a civil engineering firm. One of our clients was a small utility that was building a coal-fired power plant. The utility load was too small for nuclear power and natural gas was then too expensive to be practical, so coal was really the only option they had.

This was when the EPA was new, and the utility was being Read More

Heinrich Aims To Increase Access To Pell Grants, Make College More Affordable

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 7, 2017

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and U.S. Rep. Salud Carbajal (CA-24) have introduced bicameral legislation, the Middle Class Creating Higher Education Affordability Necessary to Compete Economically (CHANCE) Act, to increase access to affordable post-secondary education for low- to moderate-income students.

The bill would address the significant loss in value of Pell Grants by adjusting them for inflation, reinstate year-round Pell Grants, and increase the number of eligible semesters from 12 to 15.

“As

Environmental Services Seeks To Raise Rates

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 6, 2017

Public Works Director Philo Shelton speaks June 27 to County County Council about raising refuse, recylcing and solid waste facility fees for residential and commerical customers. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

Environmental Services Manager Angelica Gurule discusses increased rates June 27 at the County Council meeting. Photo by Kirsten Laskey/ladailypost.com

By KIRSTEN LASKEY

Los Alamos Daily Post

The Environmental Services Division is operating in the red and to change this, Public Works proposes a rate ordinance that would result in increased Read More

Letter To The Editor: Response To Pearce’s ‘Regulation’

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 6, 2017

By EDWARD BIRNBAUM

Los Alamos

I think most people would agree with at least one sentence of Rep. Steve Pearce’s recent op-ed in the Los Alamos Daily Post, i.e., “The United States must do more to cut off the ability of criminal enterprises to launder money through anonymous shell companies.”

The complication is that he wants to accomplish this without imposing any “… burdens on the back of new businesses or the financial institutions that fund them.”

The question is, how can you cut off money laundering without imposing additional regulations and/or costs on either businesses

Gov. Susana Martinez Announces Fifth Straight Year Of Record-Shattering Tourism Numbers

Submitted by CSTadmin on July 6, 2017

STATE News:

SANTA FE — Today, Gov. Susana Martinez announced 34.4 million trips were taken in New Mexico in 2016 – shattering the previous record set in 2015 of 33.4 million. New Mexico is a leader in tourism, with trips to the state growing at double the national average.

“A record number of people are visiting New Mexico and that means more money being spent in our communities – large and small,” Martinez said. “It is so exciting that more people than ever before are getting to experience what we already know: New Mexico

Scenes From Bandelier Naturalization Ceremony

Submitted by CSTadmin on July 5, 2017

Fifteen newly-sworn United States citizens at Bandelier National Monument Tuesday with Superintendent Jason Lott, far right, and Los Alamos County Council Chair David Izraelevitz, second from right, who was the guest speaker. Courtesy photo

Nicholas Maestas, left, representing U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan and Los Alamos County Council Chair David Izraelevitz at Tuesday’s naturalization ceremony at Banderlier. Courtesy photo

Some of the new United States citizens being sworn in at Tuesday’s naturalization ceremony at Bandelier National Monument. Courtesy photo Read More

Luján: Celebrating Freedom … Liberty … Democracy

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 4, 2017

From U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján

NM 3rd Congressional District

Independence Day is such an important holiday to me. Not only are we celebrating our nation’s 241st birthday, we are celebrating the ideals our nation was founded upon. We are celebrating freedom. We are celebrating liberty. We are celebrating our democracy.

Our democracy is what makes our nation so great. We the people get to decide the direction of our nation. We were the first nation founded on the ideas that power derives from the people, not its leaders. We must remember that we have the power to enact great change! That is what makes Read More

State Drunk Driving Ads Recognized Nationally

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 4, 2017

Gov. Susana Martinez

NMDOT News:

SANTA FE ― Gov. Susana Martinez has announced that one of the state’s TV ad campaigns called, “Reality Series – Over the Limit,” to combat DWI is featured on the Governors Highway Safety Association’s website. This showcases what New Mexico is doing to fight drunk driving to other states.

“I am very pleased that New Mexico can be an example to other states,” Martinez said. “Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable and my administration will do everything in our power to stop it – because even one death to a drunk driver

Attorney General Balderas Announces Technology Grant Opportunity For Schools, Local Government Agencies

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 4, 2017

AG News:

SANTA FE ― Yesterday, Attorney General Hector Balderas announced the opening of a grant application period for the distribution of technology grants to New Mexico schools, colleges, universities, and local government agencies.

These entities can apply for funds to support innovative technology projects, including equipment purchase, via the DRAM Settlement Fund, a result of a computer industry lawsuit settled by the New Mexico Office of the Attorney General, in which the state was awarded approximately $294,000. These funds will be awarded to public agencies,

Happy Independence Day Los Alamos!

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 4, 2017

Signing the Declaration of Independence. Courtesy/military.com

Staff Report

July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States.

Each year on July 4th, Independence Day, Americans celebrate this historic event.

Conflict between the colonies and England was already a year old when the colonies convened a Continental Congress in Philadelphia in the summer of 1776. In a June 7 session in the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall), Richard Henry Lee of Virginia presented a resolution Read More

Video Highlights Importance Of National Monuments

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 3, 2017

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Senators Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) released a video highlighting the economic impact that national monuments have had in their states and across the country.

In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at rescinding national monument designations made by President Obama under the Antiquities Act. The Organ Mountains-Desert Peaks and Rio Grande del Norte National Monuments in New Mexico, the Gold

Senators Introduce Strongest Legislative Package Of Sportsmen’s Priorities In Years

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 3, 2017

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Only hours ahead of their departure for the Fourth of July recess, Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY), Sen. Ben Cardin (D-MD), and a bipartisan group of senators introduced S. 1514, a strong package of bills that would benefit fish and wildlife habitat nationwide, while funding critical watershed restoration efforts in the Mid-Atlantic and improving access for recreational shooters on public lands.

The legislation would:

Reauthorize the North American Wetlands Conservation Act—a grant program through which each federal dollar

Korean War Veteran Paul Elkins Tells His Story: Part 1

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 2, 2017

Korean War Veteran Paul Elkins of Los Alamos shares his experiences prior to and during the war. Photo by Maire O’Neill/ladailypost.com

MSgt. Paul Elkins. Courtesy photo

By MAIRE O’NEILL

Los Alamos Daily Post

Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part series about Korean War Veteran Paul Elkins of Los Alamos.

Last month marked 67 years since the beginning of the Korean War, sometimes called the Forgotten War, in which almost 40,000 Americans died and more than 100,000 were wounded. This war, which lasted three years and two days, will never be forgotten Read More

Historic Preservation Advisory Board

Submitted by Kirsten Laskey (ladp admin) on July 2, 2017

COUNTY News:

The Los Alamos County Historic Preservation Advisory Boardmeets at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 5 in the Fuller Lodge Throne Room.

The meeting is open to the public.

Agenda

I. ADMINISTRATIVE ACTIONS
A. Call to Order/Introductions
B. Approval of Today’s Agenda
C. Review/Approval of Meeting Minutes (1) 9641-17 Minutes from the Historic Preservation Advisory Board Meeting June 7, 2017 Recommendation: I move that the Board approve the Minutes for June 7, 2017. Presenters: Mark Rayburn 1 – June 7, 2017 HPAB Meeting Minutes DraftAttachments:

Udall Joins In Introducing Bipartisan Bill To Combat Native American Veteran Homelessness

Submitted by Carol A. Clark on July 2, 2017

U.S. SENATE News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Tom Udall joined Senators Jon Tester (D-Mont.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), and Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) in introducing bipartisan legislation to combat homelessness and improve direct support services for Native American veterans.

Hoeven and Udall are the chairman and vice-chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. Tester and Isakson are the ranking member and chairman of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.

The legislation, the Tribal HUD-VASH Act would formally authorize

House Committee Passes Resilient Federal Forest Act

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 2, 2017

NWTF News:

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation commends the House Committee on Natural Resources for the passage of H.R.2936 as well as Congressman Bruce Westerman (R-AR) for his continued efforts to improve the management of our federal forests.

The Resilient Federal Forests Act of 2017, introduced by Westerman earlier this month, aims to increase proactive forest management to combat catastrophic wildfires, promote healthy and sustainable forests and create early successional wildlife habitat.

The act would streamline a multitude of

Pearce Statement On The Corporate Transparency Act

Submitted by Chris Clark on July 1, 2017

U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON, D.C. ― U.S. Rep. Steve Pearce, Chairman of the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Terrorism and Illicit Finance, Thursday released the following statement after Representative Maloney (NY-12) introduced the Corporate Transparency Act:

“Too often, funding for national and international crime is facilitated through anonymous businesses and corporations. The United States must do more to cut off the ability of criminal enterprises to launder money through anonymous shell companies. The

Pearce Backs Bills For Safer Communities, Calls For Better Immigration System

Submitted by Chris Clark on June 30, 2017

U.S. CONGRESSIONAL News:

WASHINGTON D.C. ― Congressman Steve Pearce yesterday released the following statement after the House of Representatives passed H.R. 3003, No Sanctuary for Criminals Act, and H.R. 3004, Kate’s Law, to combat sanctuary cities and enhance public safety. H.R. 3003 will work to prevent sanctuary cities by withholding certain federal grants from cities that refuse to comply with our nation’s immigration laws.

“We in New Mexico know firsthand the challenges that come with a broken and outdated immigration

LOS ALAMOS

ladailypost.com website support locally by OviNuppi Systems